Hi Friends,

Even as I launch this today ( my 80th Birthday ), I realize that there is yet so much to say and do. There is just no time to look back, no time to wonder,"Will anyone read these pages?"

With regards,
Hemen Parekh
27 June 2013

Now as I approach my 90th birthday ( 27 June 2023 ) , I invite you to visit my Digital Avatar ( www.hemenparekh.ai ) – and continue chatting with me , even when I am no more here physically

Sunday 4 June 2017

Finding a Bakra ? Possible ?



Over the past 3 weeks , there is a lot of “ noise “ about selling off Air India , which has been making huge losses for years and has a current debt of  Rs 60,000 crore


Noise makers include , Arvind Panagariha , Amitabh Kant , Arun Jaitley and Ashok Gajapathy Raju ( Civil Aviation Minister ),who recently said to CNBC TV !* : 


“ There are hardly any bakras around, so to get one is difficult and businessmen are businessmen


There are limitations . One thing is for sure, the taxpayer’s money cannot be committed for eternity


So, that is one problem . Failures are there on the financial front , so there are problems and these will be attended to 


Arvind Panagariah has suggested that the government write off that Rs 60,000 cr debt , ( in order to “ attract a bakra “ ? ). Better than throwing away GOOD money after BAD !


If the government is also ready to write off that other “ liability “ called “ Manpower “ , ( approx. 21,000 people ) , there is a possibility that a “ bakra “, with an ability to turn Air India profitable , can be found.


Let there be no doubt . No one , repeat NO ONE , will want to even touch Air India , if the deal includes taking over that “ Manpower “ !


That bakra could be , RYANAIR of Europe ( founded in 1985 and profitable throughout ) – perhaps the only WHITE KNIGHT capable of rescuing !


Those having the responsibility to find that “ bakra “ might want to look at the following statistics about RYANAIR :



·         Chairman …..Michael O’leary

( who , once said , “ If you have complaints about RyanAir , don’t fly with us “ . For a long time , RyanAir refused to have a Customer Complaint department )



·         Airfare

Average Fare per Passenger Flown………….. Euro  33 ( Rs 2,600 )

Dublin ( Ireland ) to ANYWHERE……………… Euro  150 ( Rs 11,000 )



·         No of Employees……………………………………….. 12,000



·         No of Employees / Aircraft………………………..        30

( 12,000 for 400 Aircrafts )


  { Air India’s No of Employees / Aircraft ……………. 178 ( 21,000 for 118 Aircrafts )




·         Employee Growth ( June 15 – June 17 )…..  12 %



·         No of Passengers flown (2016 -17 )………….  130 Million



·         Traffic Target ( FY 2024 )…………………………..  200 Million



·         No of Countries served……………………………….    34



·         No of Cities served……………………………………….  200



·         No of bases…………………………………………………..    86



·         No of daily flights………………………………………….  1800



·         No of Aircrafts……………………………………………….    400 ( 737 )



·         Aircrafts on Order………………………………………..   300  ( 737  )



·         On time Performance……………………………………    FIRST  in Europe



·         Profit ( expected for 2016-17 )……………………    Euro  1300 Million




Dear  Shri  Raju :


RyanAir’s Michael Leary is an Irishman, with its headquarter in Dublin ( Ireland )


Ireland’s next “ Prime Minister – to be “ is Mr Varadkar ( whose father hails from Varad town of Maharashtra )


How about sending a “ feeler “ to Michael through Shri Devendra Fadnavisji ?





05  June  2017