Air India pilots set conditions to end strike

New Delhi:  Grappling with a contempt of court notice, the agitating Air India pilots on Wednesday extended an olive branch to the government saying they would end the 16-day strike if their sacked colleagues are taken back and the management starts negotiations on the issues raised by them.

"This [strike] can be over in no time if our sacked pilots are taken back and talks start on issues that we have raised," Rohit Kapahi, committee member, Indian Pilots Guild (IPG), said.

"We have requested the management, the ministry and everyone concerned that we are ready for talks, but without condition of joining work first without any discussions on our issues."

He said the IPG did not have much faith on the promise of no victimisation as the government had sacked around 101 pilots from a strength of 444 pilots of the union.

"How can we come back to work without our sacked colleagues who have scarified their jobs for us. They have to be reinstated first," said Tauseef Mukadam, joint secretary, IPG.

The sacked 101 pilots include the main office bearers of the IPG. Nearly all of the IPG office bearers' flying licences are also in the line of fire of the regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).

Wet-leasing aircraft

The pilots trashed the management's plans of wet-leasing aircraft which will come with crew and pilots to salvage the international operations, stating that this will escalate costs that the airline cannot cope with.

"When we have 17 large-body aircraft grounded in Delhi, when we have nearly 400 pilots on strike and when there are mounting losses, how can the management think of wet-leasing aircraft while the original capacity remain unused," Kapahi asked.