Day 3: Pilots adamant,AI threatens shutdown

Over 120 pilots reported sick on day 3 of their agitation today. Flights to the US,Europe and South East Asia were cancelled. Talks between AI Chairman and Managing Director Arvind Jadhav and executive pilots represented by Capt. V K Bhalla continued for three hours in Delhi,but remained inconclusive.

The Civil Aviation Ministry is likely to prevail upon the two sides to thrash out a deal tomorrow. Late in the evening,Civil Aviation Secretary Madhavan Nambiar said,“We advise the (AI) management to enter into a comprehensive dialogue with all sections of employees. This strike must end immediately in the interest of the public.”

Nambiar is meeting private airlines tomorrow to ensure they chip in to minimise the inconvenience caused to AI fliers as a result of the strike.

In a statement,AI warned that striking pilots would be dealt with “sternly”. Senior AI officials told The Indian Express that executive pilots who continued to report sick might be sacked or derostered.

“If this disease (strike) spreads like wildfire then we will have to control the situation,” CMD Jadhav said. “We are striving for survival and we are asking everybody to take a haircut. If we agree to the pilots’ demands,then how can we expect others to take pay cuts?”

The executive pilots are protesting the 50 per cent cut in productivity-linked incentives. “This affects our salaries to the extent of 65-70 per cent (including some hidden cuts),” leader of the agitation Bhalla said on Monday.

But Jadhav,while continuing to say “we are still willing to negotiate”,insisted: “The question is whether as an organisation we are on a path to revival or not. Our survival strategy is to show the world that we are like any other organisation willing to take measures like pay cuts for survival,as stakeholders of the company.”

Off the record,top airline officials took a tough line. “We really don’t want them (the pilots) any more… You’ll see us dealing with them sternly,” said a senior official.

Secretary Nambiar said government support for AI was in the offing,but it would be linked to a proper turnaround plan including cost-cutting and revenue enhancement. In his talks with the pilots,Jadhav announced that payment of salary pending for three months would be staggered,and the proposal to rationalise PLI will be referred to a committee — any action on cuts would be taken only after the panel submits its report.