New Delhi: There was no end to the sufferings of the passengers as strike by a section of Air India pilots entered the second day on Thursday.
Approximately 53 flights, including three Dubai, Kabul and Kathmandu bound flights, were cancelled Thursday as nearly 700 pilots of the erstwhile Indian Airlines, which was merged with Air India in 2007, continued to defy the court ban on their strike and appeals by the authorities to resume work.
The erstwhile Indian Airlines pilots want salary parity with those originally belonging to Air India. While Air India flied internationally, Indian Airlines covered domestic destinations besides some neighbouring countries.
Besides cancelling 53 flights, which followed cancellation of 50 flights Wednesday, some flights had to be rescheduled, causing great inconvenience to passengers.
The maximum impact of the strike is being witnessed in Delhi and Mumbai.
Private airlines are taking maximum advantage of the strike by abnormally hiking fares as Air India passengers queued outside their counters upon learning cancellation of their flights.
Air India management is now planning to use services of 150 management pilots to meet the crisis and fly bigger planes like Boeing 747 and Boeing 777. This will ensure fewer pilots are needed to accommodate maximum passengers, especially from Delhi and Mumbai.
Management pilots are senior pilots who have been tasked with administrative duties.
Delhi High Court had on Wednesday stayed the flash strike and instructed members of the Indian Commercial Pilots Association (ICPA) to resume work immediately, while slamming the authorities for turning a blind eye to the issue for close to two decades.
Air India management has sacked six ICPA leaders and has suspended two others. Besides it has derecognised ICPA and sealing its office.
The ministry for civil aviation is fully backing the Air India management.
Minister Vayalar Ravi has appealed to striking pilots to resume work and stated that a committee constituted under a retired Supreme Court judge to look into the pay parity issue had already started work from Monday.
