Free upgrades: PMO slams aviation ministry

The civil aviation ministry's decision to grant free flight upgrades and facilitation to its former secretaries has come under attack from the prime minister's office but the ministry appears unfazed.

The PMO has objected to the civil aviation ministry's order of March this year which gave all its former secretaries and their "immediate family" life-long free upgrades on domestic and international air tickets on Air India to the highest class available  and access to lounges at any airport in the country.

Along with the order, the ministry had sent a list of 24 names of former secretaries, who would be entitled to these facilities.

Though the order makes it clear that these upgrades are subject to availability of higher class seats and the load factor, the difference between Economy and First Class tickets is huge.

A Delhi-London economy class return ticket could cost between Rs 40,000 and Rs 50,000, while First Class return would cost around Rs 200,000.

In the wake of the PMO missive, a top ministry official met principal secretary in the PMO T K A Nair late last week in this regard and explained the ministry's position, official sources said on Monday.

They said, as of now, the ministry was not considering a review of the order.

The ministry would shortly respond to a note sent by the PMO to Cabinet secretary K M Chandrasekhar, who has sought a clarification on the matter, they said.

In its note last month, the PMO had said it was specifically concerned about the public message the ministry order would send when the government was infusing equity into Air India.