Air India's fuel supplies restored at six airports
Last month we wrote about government-run Air India being cut off from fuel at six airports in the country after it was unable to pay its suppliers more than $630 million. Despite this, Air India has continued to operate from the affected airports, choosing instead to refill at alternate locations.
Fortunately for the ailing airline, an agreement has been reached with its creditors to make monthly payments in the amount of $2.8 million, leading to the restoration of fueling operations. Whether this will lead to an increase in Air India's viability as an airline, well, that's anyone's guess.
Billions of dollars in debt, Air India's reputation is so bad that when the government tried to sell it last year there were no takers. It's a sad turn of events for an airline that monopolized India's market and was once known as 'the Maharaja of the skies.'
The rise of competitive low-cost carriers, including IndiGo and Spicejet, along with a succession of annual losses, has sent Air India spiraling with no end in sight. Of course, it doesn't help that its business class offerings are rather...interesting in a market rife with competition from other international airlines serving India, including Qatar Airways, Emirates and Etihad.
TPG featured card
at Capital One's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 2X miles | Earn 2X miles per $1 on every purchase, everywhere |
| 5X miles | Earn 5X miles per dollar on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Business Travel |
Pros
- Simple earning structure
- Bonus categories
- Annual credits
- No foreign transaction fees
- Flexible redemption options, including transfer partners
Cons
- Has an annual fee
- Fewer bonus categories than some competitors
- Lacks premium perks
- Limited-time offer: Earn up to 150,000 bonus miles—75,000 miles once you spend $7,500 in the first 3 months, and an additional 75,000 miles once you spend $30,000 in the first 6 months
- Earn unlimited 2X miles per dollar on every purchase, everywhere, no limits or category restrictions, and miles won't expire for the life of the account
- Receive up to $220 in credits: Receive an annual $50 travel credit for bookings through Capital One Business Travel, up to an annual $50 statement credit for purchases at qualifying advertising or software merchants, plus up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® every four years. Terms and conditions apply
- Unlimited 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Business Travel
- Transfer your miles to 15+ travel loyalty programs
- Redeem your miles instantly for any travel-related purchases, from flights and hotels to ride-sharing services
- $95 annual fee
- Free employee cards which also earn unlimited 2X miles from their purchases
- Top rated mobile app