Air India to have only low cal onboard meals for crew operating flights out of Delhi & Mumbai

NEW DELHI: Air India crew operating flights out of Delhi and Mumbai will now get low fat meals onboard. The airline has decided to make the switch from Monday to ensure the crew get or remain fit and the switch also means a significant saving from the regular high-calorie diet being ordered for in catering currently.
A source said: “AI used to give first-class main meals to cockpit and cabin crew.Now it will be a low-calorie meal. So against Rs 500-800 per crew meal, this change will mean a spend of about Rs 55-150 per meal. This is to ensure crew lose weight/remain lean and stay healthy.”
The order issued by Doma Tshering, senior manager inflight services (IFS), says: “Taking into consideration health factor of crew, an initiative has been taken by director operations to revise inflight menu for crew... special low fat diet meal for crew has been worked out on day wise (sic) basis in order to provide light and healthy meal with a home (Indian) touch. As per GM catering, initially, the changed menu will be introduced only on ex-Delhi and Mumbai flights from September 15 midnight on all domestic and international flights. The same is applicable for all flying crew, cockpit and cabin crew.”
Following the change, the low cal breakfast menu includes besan chilli, mix veg tikki, nutri and veg seek kebab, haryali chicken tikka and omelette. The “healthy” lunch menu includes delicacies like bottle gourd, okra, pulses, chicken curry, murg palak, raita and tossed salad.
AI serves only veg meals in economy class of its domestic flights. Non veg option is available on all international flights and in business class of domestic sectors.
The divestment-bound airline has been facing a severe cash crunch this fiscal as it has not got any equity infusion — except for Rs 1 lakh (repeat Rs 1 lakh only) — in the budget for FY 2019-20. Oil companies had recently stopped supply to AI Group airlines at six airports and had threatened to stop at Hyderabad too. Following government intervention, the fuel supply was resumed.
AI has a total debt of over Rs 58,000 crore. The airline has told the government it does not have funds to pay salaries beyond that of October unless fun infusion takes place.
The second process to sell off AI is likely to kickstart within a month and the government is looking at exiting the airline completely. For the second divestment attempt to be a success, it is seeing how much of the Maharaja’s debt can the government absorb and not ask future buyers to take on the same.