AAI threatens action against striking ATCs

MUMBAI, February 3: Airline schedules throughout the country remained upset for the third day today, with both the Air Traffic Controller...

MUMBAI, February 3: Airline schedules throughout the country remained upset for the third day today, with both the Air Traffic Controllers ATCs and the Airports Authority of India AAI management sticking to their guns over the issue of disbursal of duty allowance.

And while the AAI management decided to act tough with the agitating ATCs, the ATC Guild reiterated its stand of beginning negotiations only after the duty allowance, their main demand, was disbursed with a retrospective effect as per the recommendations of the Jhulka Committee.

In an apparent bid to force the ATCs to unconditionally withdraw their work-to-rule agitation, AAI Member Personnel and Administration S K Narula dashed off a letter on behalf of chairman V D Gupta to the ATC Guild yesterday stating that the demands of the ATCs would be considered only after the agitation was called off.

While stating that the management was open for discussions, Narula threatened that if the stir was not called off immediately, themanagementwould be constrained to initiate disciplinary proceedings against the ATCs.However, terming the threat of action as 8220;hollow,8221; ATC Guild regional secretary, P N Bahuguna today said: 8220;Such arm-twisting methods will not work. As regards the disciplinary action, it is the favourite tool of any management to break an agitation8230;but we are not bothered. The very fact that the aircraft are flying proves that the ATCs are very much working.8221;

Meanwhile, a large number of flights were affected all over the country due to delayed clearance from ATCs. According to an IA official spokesperson, delays ranging from 15 minutes to 45 minutes were reported on 12 flights from Mumbai. 8220;If such delays occur regularly, it will not be long before we witness chaotic scenes at the airport. As sooner or later, the consequential delays on other routes will only worsen the situation,8221; sources in the airline added.