The final countdown

The administrative ministry - ministry of civil aviation - prone to leaks is privy to very little

As the festival season approaches, India and its aviation sector is on tenterhooks for more than one reason. The much-anticipated third wave — Indian Council of Medical Research’s Samiran Panda stuck his neck out to say that it may come in end-August — may be a damp squib but if it does indeed hit, it is the airlines, tourism and hospitality sectors that will bear the severest brunt.

But September is also awaited as it may finally bring down the curtains on the never-ending Air India saga. The government expects financial bids by mid-September from the two shortlisted bidders: The Tata