Thanks to a major restructuring effort, Air India has succeeded in cutting loss-making routes to 25% of its network in the 12 months to March 2013. This is an improvement from the 69% loss making routes in its network in the previous year.
Air India attributes the improvement to a series of steps taken to cut costs, restructure loans, strengthen management and liquidate assets, including the spin-off of engineering and ground handling as independent profit centers.
Air India has also launched the sale or lease five of eight 777-200LRs placed into service between 2007 and 2010. Two 787s, of six delivered, have started flying domestic service and schedules call for the first international flight to serve Frankfurt on May 22. Next comes Delhi to Birmingham, followed by Sydney and Melbourne from August, Rome and Milan from October, and Moscow from early next year.