AI pilots’ strike causes confusion and inconvenience

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, May 12, 2012: The Air India (AI) pilots’ strike is causing a lot of inconvenience to passengers all over India. Flight cancellations and revised schedules have caused a lot of confusion among passengers.

Sources within the AI say that two international flights from Mangalore have been re-scheduled. The flight scheduled to take off from Mangalore Airport at 10:00 p.m. on May 12, Saturday, has been re-scheduled to take off at 7:00 a.m. on May 13, Sunday. The airport has requested the passengers to report at 5:00 a.m.

AI had cancelled the fight to Kuwait, which was scheduled to take off from Mangalore Airport at 5:45 p.m. on May 12, Saturday. The national carrier says that it was unable to re-schedule this flight because their next flights were full. However, AI has decided to refund passengers who had purchased tickets for this flight.

Commenting on AI services, a passenger who arrived at Dubai Airport early on Saturday morning said AI services in Mangalore are far better than in Dubai because the AI staff at Mangalore had informed them about re-scheduled flights and flight cancellation well in advance and arranged accommodation for passengers who had arrived from a long distance. He added that AI cannot be blamed for the pilots’ strike.

An AI official said that the national carrier is trying its best to inform passengers of changes in flight schedules well in advance, but is unable to do so because many passengers have not entered their mobile phone numbers correctly. Moreover, many passengers do not respond to phone calls, he added.

Passengers can contact the AI’s Mangalore booking office by calling 2450811 or 2451046/47 between 9:30 and 17:00.