Air India pilots may call off strike

Striking Air India pilots may finally call of their strike today, sources have told NDTV.

Incidentally, civil aviation minister Ajit Singh is scheduled to address a press conference on Friday on the new pay and career progression norms for employees of erstwhile Indian Airlines and Air India to ensure parity in the merged national carrier.

The 21-day strike has led to the disruption of the carrier’s international operations, and has resulted in the firing of at least 100 striking pilots.

Pilots from the Indian Pilots Guild have been protesting the management’s decision to allow Indian Airlines pilots train on the Dreamliner, demanding a career progression policy first.

The strike has resulted in losses of about Rs 325 crore for the debt-laden carrier, officials have said.

The strike has forced the management to fall back on a contingency schedule—to be implemented from June 1—which would see reduction of services to some international destinations and clubbing of flights to Europe and US.

Air India has also filed a contempt petition against the striking pilots in the Delhi High Court, with the government again terming their protest illegal and blaming the agitators for not coming to the negotiating table.

Earlier, the court had held the strike illegal.

On May 17, the Delhi High Court asked the striking Air India pilots to call off their agitation immediately or face contempt action.

The two-judge bench also dismissed a plea by them challenging an earlier order by a single judge holding the strike illegal.