Air India sale: The pangs ahead of the eventual deal with the Tata group

A revamped Alternative Mechanism, the option of closing down the airline and removal of aviation ministry helped seal a deal that had found no takers for years

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's May 2018 message about Air India to a key government official was precise: Sell the airline, pull back what you can’t sell but don’t sit on it. This was just weeks before the abortive bid to sell the state-owned carrier was about to reach its logical failure. 

R N Choubey, civil aviation secretary had gone on record just days before the deadline for bids was to end, saying “We are seeing a lot of excitement about the sale. However, if the required amount is not met, we will decide whether the sale will take place or