Air India cancels makeover plans for Commonwealth Games

Air India, which had hired an Australian company Cato Purnell Partners, to make a difference by revitalizing the AI brand and help it to have more of a meaningful impact during the Commonwealth Games, has reportedly terminated the deal.

The airline is the official carrier for the games, which are set to take place in Delhi in October 2010.

The firm had been approached to help the Air India develop a broader visual language and add a distinct identity to the brand. The new strategy was to help the airline develop a migration strategy and design say sources.

Top rung officials in the aviation ministry claim that they had no information of the expense involved in the deal when it was entered into. The Air India brand makeover was reportedly signed for an amount of $1,612,750 plus taxes – which is almost Rs 7.5 crore. The Aviation minister, who became aware of the details involving the case when he was questioned in the Rajya Sabha about it, is said to be extremely displeased with Air India’s management when the news of the exorbitant deal was revealed. Sources say that two government directors on the airline’s board have been requested to ensure that the deal does not go through. They say that the same job could have been given to domestic firms for a fraction of the price, and took offence at the fact that the ministry was kept in the dark by Air India.

Although Air India is currently running at a loss, the airline’s board has already approved the consultant’s fee and work has reportedly begun. The first consensus in the matter has been to bring back the centaur as the emblem on Air India. The centaur was the long time emblem of the airline and was replaced by a swan. The Australian firm is also supposed to help Air India in the design and construction of its international and domestic lounges at Terminal-3 of the Indira Gandhi International Airport.