Pay monthly, or will stop fuel supply at 6 airports from Oct 18: Oil companies to Air India

Issuing an ultimatum to Air India, PSU oil majors on Thursday asked it to make the monthly lump sum payment by October 18 or they will stop the fuel supply at six major domestic airports.

In a letter sent to Air India on Thursday, the three oil PSUs -- Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL), Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL) -- said "the outstanding has not come down considerably in the absence of the committed monthly lump sum payment".

PTI has accessed the communique sent by the oil marketing companies (OMCs) to the national carrier.

In August, the three fuel retailers had stated that Air India owed Rs 5,000 crore in unpaid fuel bills with payments being delayed by almost eight months.

On August 22, Indian Oil Corp, Bharat Petroleum Corp Ltd (BPCL) and Hindustan Petroleum Corp Ltd (HPCL) had stopped fuel supplies to Air India at six airports of Kochi, Mohali, Pune, Patna, Ranchi and Vizag over payment defaults.

However, after the ...