New Delhi: National carrier Air India has decided to stop serving non-vegetarian meals to economy class passengers on domestic flights in order to cut costs.
Passenger carrier AI on Monday said that it has stopped serving non-vegetarian meals to passengers on board its domestic flights’ economy class segment.
“Air India has taken a conscious decision not to have non-vegetarian meal in economy class on its domestic flights to reduce wastage and costs as well as in order to improve catering service,” the airline said in a statement today.
According to the statement, the move would help the airline to reduce wastage and cost and to improve its catering services.
However, airline sources said the decision was implemented last month.
Air India, which is reeling under a cash crunch, today took non-vegetarian food off the menu for economy class travellers on all its domestic routes.
Air India not to serve non-vegetarian meals to economy class passengers on domestic flights:
Officials claim that this move is a cost-cutting measure as the airline has lately been crippled by ever-increasing debt necessitating certain austerity measures.
However, non-vegetarian food will continue to be served on AI’s international routes and for business and first class passengers on the domestic routes.
Unconfirmed reports say that such measures were decided two weeks ago by the Air India board.
This is the latest in a series of major cost-cutting measure undertaken by the national carrier in the recent past. Six months ago, Air India had stopped serving non-vegetarian food to economy class passengers, only on flights which had a duration of fewer than 90 minutes.
Also, last month, the airline had decided to not serve salads and carry fewer magazines on-board, in an attempt to reduce cabin weight, considering that a lighter plane would burn lesser fuel.
The government had earlier this month, cleared the decks for the disinvestment of Air India, and it was reported that organisations like the Tatas and IndiGo were interested in taking control of the airline.
