Ailing state carrier Air India is estimated to report a loss before tax of 69.94 billion rupees for FY11, the civil aviation minister said on Wednesday. 

"The turnaround plan submitted by Air India envisages substantial equity support," Vayalar Ravi told parliament in a written reply. An Indian panel of ministers has been holding meetings to discuss infusing equity in loss-making Air India, and is in the process of preparing a note to the federal cabinet, a source familiar with the discussions said last month. 

Air India incurred a loss of over Rs. 5,500 crore during the 2009-10 fiscal. The national carrier loss was estimated at Rs. 5,552.44 crore, followed by Kingfisher Airlines and Jet Airways at Rs. 1,239.30 crore and Rs. 467.60 crore respectively in the said fiscal, Minister of Civil Aviation Vayalar Ravi said in a written reply in Lok Sabha. Besides, another private airline operator Go Air incurred a loss of Rs. 65.50 crore in the period.

Low cost carrier IndiGo made the maximum profit (Rs. 484.70 crore) in the same fiscal, followed by its rivals SpiceJet Rs. 67 crore and JetLite Rs. 46.20 crore.