Talks between the Indian Airlines and Indian Commercial Pilots’ Association (ICPA) on cancellation of flights to Kuwait reached a dead end as the ICPA today issued a directive with immediate effect that none of its pilots will fly to Kuwait citing ‘‘unsafe flying conditions’’.Going a step further, the ICPA is learnt to have threatened not to fly to destinations in South East Asia due to the spread of SARS virus in the region. It is understood that the pilots have asked Indian Airlines to provide some kind of additional support to the pilots flying to South East Asia.The ICPA took an agitational stand last week when they asked IA to call off its Kuwait-bound flights citing a notice issued by the coalition forces to airmen and mariners on March 20. The Notam (general notice) had stated that coalition forces could destroy any civilian aircraft if they were not convinced of its identity.Indian Airlines had then maintained it had taken every possible step to ensure the safety of passengers, crew and aircraft. However, ICPA president V.K. Bhalla said the management had adopted an ‘‘autocratic’’ stand towards pilots. ‘‘They are just not concerned about us. It is not safe to operate flights to Kuwait given the kind of mishits the coalition forces have had. They have killed several of their own soldiers in friendly fire; what is the guarantee we will be safe? Similarly, how can we fly to South East Asia after the outbreak of SARS?’’
