Om Swaha Air India!

Special pooja to ward off evil over Air India's jinxed plane

BY A CORRESPONDENT
May 27, 2006

Air India officials will be performing a pooja for their Boeing 747 VT-AIM, which has completed repairs after three flat tyres over a period of five months had brought it to ground. Usually, planes are inaugurated with a pooja, but this time, to ward off any possibility of further problems, a pooja will be help to mark its recovery as well. A senior AI engineering personnel said, "It will be put to use only after a pooja is performed on an auspicious day, to ward off all evil that has befallen the aircraft."

Officials also clarified to Mid-Day, that "We normally hold a pooja when a new aircraft is brought in, but this is the first time that a pooja will be organised after repairs." In addition, Vaastu experts will determine the appropriate release date. However, India chairman and managing director V Thulasidas said he was not aware of the pooja. While confirming that, "We have completed all the checks on the aircraft and it fit for scheduled operations," he did not give a release date.

AI had initiated a high level inquiry into the tyre-bursts, with a committee that included A-I, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, Boeing and the tyre maker, Bridgestone. The repair work was carried out at the Kalina hangar, after the committee had identified the defects. The aircraft has also successfully completed two test flights in the previous week. Thulasidas said, "We have completed all the checks on the aircraft and it fit for scheduled operations."

A pooja will however, mean a delay of at least two weeks for the craft, and with AI already facing a shortage of planes, this might disrupt AI's flight schedules, especially for long-haul flights to the US, for which big planes like the 747 Jumbo (350 passengers) are used. A source added, "All the standby aircraft have to be brought in to overcome the shortage and if there is a technical fault with any other aircraft, there could be huge delays."

According to a Mid-Day astrologer, Today is the most auspicious day for Air-India to put the plane back into service. "May 24 is the vaastu kalash and a very auspicious day for any new beginning. If A-I does not perform the pooja today, it will have to wait until June 7."

They may be flying the latest jets, and using the most sophisticated technology for craft repairs, but ultimate faith is still placed in divine intervention!