As the strike by Air
India pilots entered the 12th day on Saturday, Civil Aviation Minister Ajit
Singh promised action in two months on a report which dealt with some of their
problems and renewed his appeal to them to return to work,
The fresh appeal came
even as flights of the airline's subsidiary AI Express continued to be
affected, though not severely. The airline's curtailed international flight
schedules, however, operated normally, official sources said.
“The Dharmadhikari
report [on AI merger] has come and it will be implemented in two months after
having talks with them. Therefore, at this time, I will again appeal to them to
come back to work,” Mr. Singh said, while talking to journalists after
inaugurating a new terminal here.
“We are making efforts
to resolve the situation... I will appeal to the pilots that they should think
about the passengers,” he said. The stir has already cost the ailing national
carrier Rs. 200 crore.
The report is stated
to have made suggestions like allowing pilots of AI and IA to be cross-utilised
for all aircraft in the merged airline's fleet, while having different
seniority criteria for them.
It also reportedly
suggested bringing about pay parity between employees of the now merged AI and
Indian Airlines.
The Minister said the
pilots' strike was declared illegal by the High Court. “When the Dharmadhikari
report is discussed, talks will be held on all their problems. As such there is
no reason for them to be on strike,” he said. — PTI
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