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IA hopes to cash in on Bill Clinton factor

Ashwini Phadnis

NEW DELHI, April 30

INDIAN Airlines is hoping that the decision of the former US President, Mr Bill Clinton, to travel by an aircraft of the State-owned airline during his recent visit to India will help enhance its intrinsic value ahead of the disinvestment process.

``The former US President's decision to travel IA is a god-sent opportunity and should go a long way in brand image enhancement ahead of the disinvestment process. Till now, the emphasis has been on IA's assets and routes, but now there is the added face t of the former US President putting his trust and faith in the State-owned carrier rather than a younger private airline. This can surely be a major selling point,'' IA sources said.

Mr Clinton and his large entourage flew by a chartered IA Airbus A-320 aircraft to several cities including Delhi, Mumbai, Bhuj, Kolkata between April 4 and 7.

Sources pointed out that it was interesting to note that during President Clinton's official visit in 2000, though the White House media team had traveled by a chartered aircraft of a private carrier, the US President had flown by Air Force One.

``This time, instead of chartering an aircraft similar to the one flown last time, IA has been chosen. Now, we can also claim to be in the race to pick up more VVIP business and cannot be branded as an `also ran' airline,'' IA officials said.

The travels of the former US President also seems to have worked magic for passenger confidence in the State-owned airlines. Sources said that from April 7, the day the Clinton charter came to an end, till the end of the month the airline has seen a stea dy increase in the number of passengers carried daily.

``Between April 7 and the end of the month there have been only two days when the daily passenger load has been less than 19,000. The maximum passenger carriage in a day has been on April 27 when it touched 25,031,'' IA officials said.

The airline has also seen a marginal increase in the average passengers carried daily at 21,394 during April 2001 as compared to 20,700 passengers carried daily during the same period in the previous year.