Where in the value chain is India now?
A. Basic infrastructure to support the aviation industry’s growth is not yet in place. The government is making efforts. But our pilot training institutes and training schools for engineers and technicians are not equipped to handle the pressure, prompting many to go abroad to gain the skills. We are also hiring hundreds of expatriate pilots, engineers and management personnel including CEOs to run our airlines. And though the number of aircraft and flight movements grew suddenly, our airports were not upgraded to handle the traffic load. Q. Where can it go from here? A. This is a great sector and we have to grow it steadily by making prudent business decisions. India has a great opportunity and we should not miss it. In 1993 when I started the airline, people thought I was crazy, but I proved my critics wrong. Indians are hospitable by nature and our service standards will help us to emerge as preferred carriers for passengers around the world. Sustaining low fares for a long time wil
