Posted on 05/01/2005 1:32:17 AM PDT by CarrotAndStick
NEW DELHI: Air India(A-I) has taken strong exception to the "misinformation" campaign launched by Airbus Industry after the European consortium lost the over $6.5 billion contract to its arch rival Boeing Aircraft Company for supply of 50 medium and long range capacity jets to the airline.
"A-I takes strong exception to the misinformation campaign" by Airbus on the bidding process followed by the airline Board of Directors and termed it as "mischievous and misleading" the public, Air India is understood to have stated in a letter to the Civil Aviation Ministry.
The airline board had decided to go in for 50 Boeing aircraft comprising B-777s and 787s Dreamliner.
AI is understood to have urged the government to object to the "irresponsible" manner in which Airbus officials made the statements, even questioning the integrity of the airline as well as that of the Board.
Asking Airbus to stop making further comments, the AI is reported to have asked the government to take up with the French government the statement made by "the high official of Airbus or the manufacturer should face the threat of any action that the government may contemplate". (PTI)
Air-India mulls legal action against Airbus: Dubai | April 30, 2005 10:40:04 PM IST
Dubai, April 30 : State-run international carrier Air-India (AI) Saturday said it is considering legal action against Airbus Industrie for its statement against a $7 billion order by AI to buy 43 planes from its US rival, Boeing.
Air-India chairman and managing director V. Thulasidas, who is in Dubai for the inaugural services of Air-India Express, the budget airline started by Air India, criticised Airbus Industrie's demand for a probe into its decision to opt for Boeing planes, saying Airbus had no right to complain about the move.
"While we can understand the frustration on the part of a losing bidder, this is quite outrageous and unwarranted," he told IANS.
The top AI official said that Air-India Express would start operations to Oman May 3 as it has got permission from the Omani authorities. Following the Muscat operations, Air-India Express will start flights to Salalah later in the week.
The Air-India Express would also have operations to Al Ain apart from Dubai and Abu Dhabi in the UAE.
Air-India has to spend Rs.6 billion additionally on account of higher fuel prices as only 10-15 percent of the price hike is met by fuel surcharges, he added.
(IANS)
http://news.webindia123.com/news/showdetails.asp?id=80318&n_date=20050430&cat=Business
I said it when Airbus first started yipping - that sort of stuff (especially in public) does not fly in India, especially with a company with such ties to the state. Hard to believe Airbus actually did this, could be that this sort of refusal to understand the culture played a small part in their losing the contract in the first place.
Demanding a probe into the decision to opt for Boeing planes? That's just crapweasel talk...
When I see the Airbus Albatross, I hear the "Oh the Humanity!" announcer from the Hindenburg disaster.
If there were to be an ErrBus accident, the crapweasels would sue the passengers and then raise their taxes!
Leave it to the French to make a aircraft with no airports for it.
Airports less than eager to make room for big new Airbus--(the dream is dead?)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1394595/posts
Back in the late 50s there were plans for a 900 seat craft based on the C-5 And it can land at all airports.
My guess is as the Eurocrats turn from there supine local "subjects" and face the broader world they will find that many will not so readily accept their bluster nor Kowtow to their dictates. I imagine that we shall see more of this. Unforntuatley it will happen too late to keep the UK out of their filthy mitts.
They imagine that they have already achieved world power status: They have not. They imagine that their self serving rhetoric which claims that the USA is fading: We have not.
One has to go to the EU to grasp how inward looking, self-absorded And self important the Europeans have become.
Airbus was counting on India's "culture" to get the deal.
Given the French reputation for close dealing and the reputation of Indian civil servants for venality, one wonders if this didn't work against Airbus, with
Indian civil servants being in the position of Caesar's wife.
"Airbus was counting on India's "culture" to get the deal."
You mean the bureaucratic culture? Wonder how that worked against the French. The French are supposed to be the experts when it comes to handling "bureaucracy" and making the "deal". What happened this time.
But what ever is it we did the right thing.
In America it's called bakhsheesh.
"In America it's called bakhsheesh."
I wonder what we call it in India.
Its called 100 percent "duty" in Indonesia.
"I wonder what we call it in India."
Probably don't have a word for it.
That's right EU... Piss off potential customers in an industry with only maybe 100 buyers possible for your product world wide! That's just brilliant!
Bad enough tails fall off your planes, but now you want to disenfranchise your customer base..... Wow... and they wonder why USA out produces them in every measurable level.
I can't believe Airbus threw a tantrum over this. Didn't they get a big 43 plane deal from the same airline last year?
No, that was Indian Airlines.
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