AI pilots’ strike continues, 20 flights cancelled

AI pilots’ strike continues, 20 flights cancelled

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, May 16, 2012 : Air India (AI) cancelled 20 domestic and international flights on May 15, Tuesday, leaving several passengers stranded at Mangalore Airport for hours.

According to the Mangalore office of AI, the national carrier has re-scheduled flights from Mangalore to Doha and Bahrain because of the pilots’ strike.

According to the new schedule, the IX 819 flight from Mangalore to Doha and Bahrain will leave at 8:30 a.m. on May 16, Wednesday. It will first land at Doha and will again take off to Bahrain. The same plane will fly directly to Bahrain from Mangalore on Friday.

AI has cancelled IX 389 flight between Mangalore and Kuwait, which was to have taken off at 5:45 p.m. on May 15, Tuesday.

Five of the 20 cancelled flights are from Mumbai. AI has also cancelled flights to Hong Kong, Amritsar, Paris, Jeddah, and Frankfurt from Delhi. An AI spokesperson said that AI has operated the Delhi to New York and the Delhi to Toronto flights and might operate more international flights tonight.

Over 200 AI pilots have been on strike from the past 8 days, forcing the national carrier to cancel 10 international flights. They either claimed to be ill or refused to turn up for work.

The aviation ministry has issued a medical summary, which states that doctors sent by the national carrier to examine AI pilots who claimed to be ill did not find the pilots at home. According to the medical summary, 48 of the 53 Delhi pilots, who had claimed illness, were not at home when the medical team visited them. The medical team found their doors locked. Moreover, they could not reach the pilots on their mobile phones. Doctors examined 18 outstation pilots, who were staying at Hotel Hyatt, and declared them medically fit.

Ajith Singh, the civil aviation minister, said that the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) will take action against these pilots. He further said that, if the medical team found pilots who claimed illness to be fit or did not find them in their houses, the DGCA will take strict action against them.

AI pilots have been either claiming illness or not reporting for duty as a mark of protest against the re-scheduling of the Dreamliner training program essential for their career growth. Mr. Singh said that pilots have the right to go on strike, but not before discussing the issue with the DGCA and informing them clearly whey they have decided to go on strike at the peak of the vacation season.

Meanwhile, seven AI unions have written to Mr. Singh, stating that they would like to end the quarrel between AI and its pilots and urging him to intervene in the matter.