The formal merger of Air India and Indian has just been delayed.

The   unification formalities of the two national carriers to become ‘Air India’ was to be over and the new company should have started functioning from Sunday, but the same is now expected  to take another week or more.
This is because some legal formalities still need to be completed. The ministry of corporate affairs has issued a notice for hearing of the petition in the matter  of “amalgamation between Air India Limited and Indian Airlines Limited with the National Aviation Company of India Limited”. The hearing will be held on July 31. This implies that the merger will not happen before this date.

The notice also says that any person desirous of supporting or opposing the petition should send a notice of his intention two days before the date of hearing. The petition says that the two PSUs have agreed to merge through a decision of the Union cabinet and that a chairman has been appointed for the same.

An advocate told Deccan Herald, “If there are objections, it may lead to some delay but if there are no objections, then the scheme will be through and it will pave way for the merger”.

News of delay of the merger has had come just when employees were gearing themselves up for the integration.
Mr V Thulasidas, who has been appointed the CMD of the merged entity, had written to the employees of the two organisation over the merger, that the merger would take place between July 15 and 22.  Sources of the two airlines said, “There will be a delay in the merger as these formalities have to be completed. Anyway, Mr Thulasidas is away to  USA and will be back next week.”