Air India cancels international flights
New Delhi : Air India has canceled various international flights amid an ongoing pilots strike that has left thousands of passengers stranded at several Gulf and Indian airports this week.
A large number of people are worried that their travel plans, especially in summer, may come to a standstill. Those who are yet to book are already voicing concerns that travel to India may also get more expensive in the peak summer months with other carriers hiking airfares to take advantage of Air India’s troubles as competition to the Subcontinent lessens further after Kingfisher shut down some of its operations earlier this year.
A statement released by Air India said about 350 pilots had reported sick as part of a strategy to press the management to accept their demands in a dispute over training. They are protesting against former Indian Airlines pilots who moved to Air India when the two state-run companies merged in 2007 being trained for new Boeing 787 Dreamliner planes. They say the plan threatens their career prospects.
Altogether 71 Air India pilots had been sacked over the strike in a crackdown to try to force the others back to work during the country’s important May-June tourism season. The state-run carrier has some 800 pilots on its payroll.The Indian Pilots’ Guild at the weekend said it was ready to negotiate an end to the walkout or strike.
Air India is facing problems due to rising fuel prices, competition from low-cost rivals and labor disputes. The Indian government last month cleared a $ 5.75 billion bailout package to help cash-strapped Air India, which has a $ 8.3 billion debt as of today.
