Cash-starved Air India putting crews on low-fat diet

Cash-starved Air India putting crews on low-fat diet

NEW DELHI (AP) — Cash-starved Air India is putting its crew on a diet, changing their inflight menu to special low-fat meals.

Dhananjay Kumar, the state-run airline's spokesman, said Wednesday that the objective is to provide healthy and cost-effective meals to crews on domestic and international flights.

Kumar declined comment on media reports that the cost per meal, mostly vegetarian, will fall to one-third of the current 500-800 rupees (up to $11) per meal.

The new menu was introduced Monday on flights originating from New Delhi and Mumbai and will be extended to other routes soon.

"Special low-fat diet meals have been worked out on a day-wise basis in order to provide light and healthy meal with a home (Indian) touch," an airline statement said.

The decision comes at a time when the Indian government is trying to divest from Air India, which has debts of nearly 580 billion rupees ($8 billion).

After an earlier failed attempt to sell the airline off last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government is expected to try again in October.