The World Malayali Council has urged the Air India (AI) pilots to reconsider their decision to go on a flash strike in protest against delay in payment of salary, especially after the recent 10-day-long strike by them, causing miseries to the travellers and huge loss to the airline company.
A meeting of the council here on Monday observed that AI after the merger of Indian Airlines with it in 2007 had only added to its losses owing to unprofessional management of the company. The authorities should consider if such a loss-making enterprise needed to be pursued at the risk of inviting miseries to the people and the government. Or else, the meeting observed, urgent steps should be taken to streamline the management by reducing the staff strength, buying new aircraft, carrying out timely maintenance of the airliners, keeping strict time schedules for the services and by regaining the lost confidence of the people in the company.
World Malayali Council general secretary P. Jose Varghese, and vice-presidents K. Moidu and M. Sreeram, among others, spoke. Council president C.E. Chakkunni presided over the meeting.
