In a move to pressure the government
into negotiation, 11 striking pilots of Air India (AI) on Sunday went on an
indefinite hunger strike in the national capital, seeking the reinstatement of
101 sacked pilots and recognition of the Indian Pilots’ Guild (IPG).
Tomorrow, nine more pilots will join
this hunger strike as the agitation on the issue of career progression and
Boeing 787 training enters 48th day.
While the delivery of Boeing 787 is
held up on the issue of compensation, AI’s plan to train its pilots on the
aircraft also received a jolt. Two senior pilots have failed the training,
airline sources said. The two are among the 64 pilots sent to Singapore for a
Boeing 787 training.
Both of them are experienced pilots
on Airbus A320 plane flown by pilots of erstwhile Indian Airlines. One of them
is an examiner and other is a check pilot whose job requires to train other
pilots on fleet. An Air India spokesperson was not available for comment.
AI had sent equal number of pilots
from both Air India and erstwhile Indian Airlines for the Boeing 787 training,
and is expected to receive seven planes in 2012-13.
Rohit Kapahi of IPG that the
government has de-recognised, said the body’s protest is for the reinstatement
of sacked colleagues and for the recognition of the union.
No comments:
Post a Comment