Former finance minister P Chidambaram on Thursday took a dig at Air India, wondering whether the airline has found a new way to turn profitable through ticket cancellation charges after a flight he was to travel was cancelled.

The senior Congress leader was scheduled to travel from New Delhi to Mumbai on Saturday but the Air India flight was cancelled and a cancellation charge of Rs 3,000 was levied, according to tweets.

"I was booked Del-Mum by AI 665 for Saturday. Ticket issued. AI-not me-cancelled the flight today and charged me Rs 3,000 for cancellation!

2. Has AI found a new way to become profitable?!," Chidambaram said in a tweet.

He also tagged Air India, Civil Aviation Minister Suresh Prabhu and Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha in the tweet.

In another tweet, Chidambaram said that if 100 tickets had been issued, "Air India will make a net profit of Rs 3 lakh by cancelling the flight! Bravo".

Replying to Chidambaram, Air India said it is true that AI 665 of October 27 is being combined with subsequent flight operating an hour later.

"The ticket was issued by a Travel Agent. The travel agent has erroneously levied cancellation charges. Travel agent is being advised to amend the same," the airline said in a tweet.

Loss-making Air India is staying afloat on a bailout package extended by the previous UPA regime in 2012. Chidambaram had also served as finance minister in that government.