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Our Bureau

Mumbai, Nov. 3 The Indian Commercial Pilots Association (ICPA), the pilots’ union of the erstwhile Indian Airlines, has put the management on notice for a strike from November 24 if its demands, including payment of dues for the last past three months, are not met.

Captain R. S. Otal, ICPA General Secretary, told reporters on Tuesday that, “The strike has been called to save Air India. We intend to tell the public and the political leadership what is wrong with the airline.”

The pilots’ body has claimed that the management’s policies are responsible for the losses accumulated over the years.

“In the recent winter schedule which started on October 25, the management gifted away its passenger load to the Gulf and other destinations from the South to a rival air carrier,” Capt Otal said.

The ICPA, he said, would expose one scandal and instance of mismanagement every week.

In this context, the airline had leased one aircraft for its Agatti operations, which had almost completed 15 years, and piled up losses of Rs 3 crore in the last six months.

Apart from this, four of the Air India-leased aircraft have been grounded for over two years in Jordon and Mumbai.

“We have been paying parking charges for these aircraft for some time now. These are to be returned to the lessor but the management has failed to decide on the issue,” Capt Otal said.

In September, 400 of Air India’s executive pilots went on sick leave for four days to protest pay-cuts which led to mass cancellations of domestic and international flights.

More Stories on : Trade & Labour Unions | Airlines

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