Tags:
Journalism of Courage
Air India is in trouble again. Nearly 120 of its pilots have threatened to quit; 25 of them,on deputation to Air India Express,have already started reporting sick,causing considerable disruption in services,which are likely to continue. Previous problems with the airlines pilots have centred on those who were,pre-merger,part of what was then
Indian Airlines,who believe that the conditions of the merger were discriminatory. This round of problems emerges from an association of 200 pilots who were with Air India pre-merger,and who object to those from Indian Airlines being trained to use the new Boeing 787 Dreamliner that the airline has bought. With touching concern for their fellow pilots,they worry that this will stall their career progression. Well,pilots worry about stalling. But Air Indias pilots are pretty unique in that they never seem to worry about stalling their airline.
The CAG report,which had all the answers,seemed to think all the airlines problems stem from stepfatherly treatment by government. So how would that reports drafters believe this problem should be solved? Perhaps by even more generous performance-linked incentives to underperforming employees from a bankrupt airline thats Rs 40,000 crore in debt? Perhaps by rewarding employees who,when not striking to deny training to others,ensured that the airline has an on-time performance of 60 per cent for international flights,about 20 per cent lower than its competitors? What mysterious managerial miracle would the CAG use to solve this problem? Just put the CAG in charge and find out.
