Third round of talks to end 10-day Air India stir

May 06, 2011 06:33 pm | Updated November 17, 2021 01:15 am IST - New Delhi

Tough negotiations were held on Friday between the Government and striking Air India pilots to sort out some sticky issues even as the domestic operations of the national carrier Air India remained crippled for the tenth consecutive day.

With two rounds of talks failing to end the deadlock, the two sides held a third round on Friday.

Sources said a major sticking point was the demand of the pilots, most of whom belong to the erstwhile Indian Airlines, for compensation of 75 ‘fixed flying hours allowance’, which their erstwhile Air India colleagues get.

The PMO wants the strike to end soon and is understood to have impressed upon the Civil Aviation Ministry to take urgent steps to resolve the impasse. Cabinet Secretary K.M. Chandrasekhar has reviewed the situation arising out of the pilots’ stir.

With the strike by over 800 pilots owing allegiance to the Indian Commercial Pilots Association (ICPA) continuing, the airline has grounded up to 90 per cent of its operations and has been operating around 30 flights a day besides some charter flights from Kingfisher and Air Arabia.

On Thursday, the airline operated 18 charter flights, 16 domestic and two international using aircraft borrowed from Kingfisher and Air Arabia, a company spokesperson said adding it may continue to do so on Friday as well.

The striking pilots are demanding that all dismissal, suspensions and transfers ordered during the strike period be revoked, ICPA’s recognition be restored, the contempt of court petition filed by Air India management be withdrawn, a CBI probe into the alleged corruption and mismanagement be ordered and all other issues be tackled in a time-bound manner.

Air India has sacked seven pilots and suspended six and the management has decided not to process the April salaries of the agitators.

The Delhi High Court had on Tuesday slapped contempt notices on nine office bearers of the de-recognised ICPA for disobeying its order to call off the strike.

Around 60 of its planes are grounded due to the strike, according to official estimates.

The airline is facing an estimated operational loss of Rs 26 crore per day on account of the stir.

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