AAI workers on strike, flight ops not affected

Flight operations at the domestic airport in New Delhi on Wednesday morning were unaffected.

Flights operated normally and were on time, sources said.

Since 5.30 am to nine am, 85 domestic and international flights took off from the airport and 45 have arrived, sources added.

Some employees of the Airport Authority staged a demonstration in front of arrival terminal this morning as part of their agitation.

8220;We don8217;t want to put the passengers at problem but will continue with our indefinite agitation till our demands are met. We want the government and the airport management to talk to us and resolve the problem,8221; Airport Authority Employees Union AAEU-IGIA President Harpal Singh said.

The employees, shouting anti-UPA and anti-management slogans, said they will not handle the ground services until the airport management looks into their demands.

8220;People who have developed airports in the country are not being made partners in its further development,8221; Jaipal Singh of AAEU said. He alleged that in spite of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh8217;s directive, the ministry is not looking into their demand.

DIAL had increased its staff strength due to the non-cooperation call given by the AAI Employees Union to handle cleanliness and baggage handling.

The government yesterday imposed ESMA Essential Services Maintenances Act against the employees, who went to strike on Tuesday night.

8220;We only know of ESMA through the media and nothing has been communicated to us,8221; he added.

Passengers at airports across India could face delays on Wednesday as thousands of Airports Authority of India employees plan to go ahead with an indefinite strike after talks with the government broke down. The strike will affect 127 airports across the country run by the AAI.

About 14,000 union members will strike over the imminent ending of commercial flights at old airports in Hyderabad and Bangalore, both home to many of software and outsourcing companies.

New airports with better facilities built by private developers are due to open soon in both cities. The union says that when that happens, staff at the old airports will lose their jobs or get shifted elsewhere.

Talks with the government and the AAI have so far failed.

Union members are mostly employed in airport support services, and include electricians, plumbers, cleaners, engineers and emergency fire support staff.

A spokeswoman for the civil aviation ministry said no staff would lose their jobs as they will be needed at other airports in the country as they expand and modernise. The AAI could not be reached for comment.

Flight ops remain unaffected in Mumbai

Operations at the city airport were largely unaffected in the nationwide strike called by unions opposing privatisation and closure of some airports despite 2,000 staffers not reporting to work on Wednesday.

8220;There has been no significant effect on flight and airport operations,8221; a spokesperson for Mumbai International Airport said.

Officials at the critical Air Traffic Control have not joined the strike as they are not members of the union while the outsourced ground handling and housekeeping staff continued with their work.

In the event of shortage of staff for emergency services, personnel from Indian Air Force have been placed on standby, the spokesperson added.

Airport Authority Employees Union General Secretary Dilip Gujjar said that the employees are resorting to the strike in 8220;Gandhigiri8221; style.

Flight operations normal in Chennai

Flights operations were normal at both the domestic and international airports on Wednesday morning despite the indefinite 8220;non-cooperation8221; by the Airports Authority of India Employees Union which began at midnight.

Flights to Delhi, Port Blair, Kolkata, Bangalore and Coimbatore left on schedule while in the international sector the Gulf Airways8217; Bahrain-bound flight took off at 5.30 am and British Airways8217; Chennai-London flight at 4 am, airport sources said.

Similarly, international arrivals were also handled without any trouble.

Airport Director Dinesh Kumar, who stayed back at the airport Tuesday night, said the stir would not affect the operations at the airport.

While CISF personnel manned the terminals, city policemen were present in large numbers outside the airport.

Air Force personnel had been deployed to man the fire fighting operations, the sources said.

A Coimbatore report said flight operations there was normal. Two early morning private airlines, between 5.30 am and 6.15 am arrived on time and the passengers had no difficulty in collecting the baggages, it said quoting official sources.

Flight schedule remains unaffected in Kolkata

A total of 30 flights took off from the NSC Bose international airport in Kolkata where an 8220;indefinite non-cooperation8221; by the CITU-backed Airports Authority of India Employees Union is currently underway.

Airport sources said till 8 am, 30 flights, belonging to different airlines8217;, took off for their destinations.

The airport remains largely unaffected by the stir.

The 8220;indefinite non-cooperation8221; began at midnight.

Meanwhile, two flights from New Delhi and two from Chennai have also arrived at the airport here.