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New Delhi/Mumbai: Trouble seemed to be brewing again for the national carrier Air
India as over 100 pilots owing allegiance to the Indian Pilots
Guild (IPG), which represents pre-merger pilots of Air India, have
threatened to resign over alleged discrimination by the airlines'
management.
"We, the loyal employees of Air India working for past several
years feel cheated by management's unfair and discriminatory
decisions leading to a complete stall of our career progression,"
said a letter sent Oct 29 to Air India's chairman and managing
director Rohit Nandan.
The letter seeks a no-objection certificate (NOC) for the pilots
-- who have not been selected among those who will undergo
training for the new Boeing 787 Dreamliner (to be inducted in the
fleet by December) -- to enable them resign.
"We are deeply pained by this discriminatory attitude that the
management has adopted towards us vis-a vis-the pilots of
erstwhile Indian Airlines. Therefore, we are compelled to seek a
NOC so that we may consider seeking employment elsewhere," the
letter said.
The trouble started when 64 pilots, 32 from IPG and 32 from Indian
Commercial Pilots Association (ICPA), the union of former Indian
Airlines pilots, were selected to undergo 787 training in the US,
which starts in few days.
The IPG's letter claims a collusion between ICPA which represents
1,400 pilots and the management in bringing about an artificial
pilot shortage by transferring some of IPG pilots to Air India
Express.
"These decisions and actions provide a windfall gain to the pilots
of erstwhile Indian Airlines at the expense of the career
progression prospects of the pilots of erstwhile Air India," the
letter said.
Contacted for a response, senior Air India officials said that
there is a resentment in the IPG for not getting all 64 slots, and
that the management was looking into the issue.
"Yes, there is resentment. They wanted all 64 slots, as Air India
before its merger had given the order for the 27 Boeing 787s," the
official said on the condition of anonymity.
The copies of the letter were also sent to Civil Aviation Minister
Vayalar Ravi, Civil Aviation Secretary Nasim Zaidi and Regional
Labour Commissioner, Mumbai.
Meanwhile, some aviation experts feel that the airline would not
be able to handle the blow of another strike, and this will lead
to its collapse.
"First of all, the decision for buying the 787s, or reducing the
original order, all depends on the cabinet, going on strike for
this issue is a no-issue. The airline will not be able to suffer
another strike," an aviation expert told IANS.
The airline suffered a 10-day-long strike which started in April
this year, causing a revenue loss of Rs.150 crore as 1,600 flights
were cancelled.
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