Strike grows,AI back-up plan hit

With more pilots joining the strike called by the Indian Commercial Pilots Association,Air Indias contingency plan of roping in senior executive pilots to help tide over the situation seems to be going out of hand.

With more pilots joining the strike called by the Indian Commercial Pilots Association (ICPA),Air Indias contingency plan of roping in senior executive pilots to help tide over the situation seems to be going out of hand.

Sources said 70 executive pilots,part of the group the airline was banking on,joined the 700 protesting pilots. The national carrier has now decided to suspend bookings for the next five days,a spokesperson said.

Pilots protesting outside the now-sealed ICPA office near the domestic terminal of the Indira Gandhi International Airport said the protest would grow if their demands were not met. There is no chance we will come down at this point. This is like chemotherapy for the cancer created by the management,which has gone beyond the realm of any reason now, an AI Captain said.

The carrier is suffering a loss of Rs 4 crore daily. Most of the executive pilots reported sick on Thursday, said a pilot.

The managements action of sealing the ICPA offices is illegal in the first place. Just saying they have de-recognised the union doesnt mean much. They need to go through the legal procedure, said another pilot.

Twenty-five AI flights from Delhi were cancelled on Thursday. Passengers faced more problems as other airlines increased ticket fares by over 20 per cent.

I had booked a ticket to Mumbai,and now will have to pay a much higher price to book myself a seat on a private airline. The airline cannot compensate me for the trouble caused,and I need to visit their office in the city (Safdarjung Airport) to get the refund, said Anil Sharma,a stranded passenger.

Story continues below this ad

My family and I had to attend a marriage in Srinagar today we booked our tickets about a month ago. Now our plans are ruined. Air India didnt have the courtesy to inform us beforehand, said Mohammed Sahil Sheikh,a businessman. He said the AI helpline did not give them correct information.

Meanwhile,the Railway Ministry on Thurday decided to run special trains on important routes to clear the extra rush of passengers. Two special trains from Delhi to Kolkata and Mumbai were run on Thursday.

Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram

Strike grows,AI back-up plan hit

With more pilots joining the strike called by the Indian Commercial Pilots Association,Air Indias contingency plan of roping in senior executive pilots to help tide over the situation seems to be going out of hand.

With more pilots joining the strike called by the Indian Commercial Pilots Association,Air Indias contingency plan of roping in senior executive pilots to help tide over the situation seems to be going out of hand.