More Air-India flights to Middle East

Tuesday, 06 May 2003, 19:30 IST
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MUMBAI: Air-India is all set to increase the number of flights to key markets like the Middle East after breaking a pilots' strike and obtaining an undertaking of improved productivity from them. The airline has targeted the Middle East and America as important profit centres and will operate more flights to these destinations, according to airline sources. In all, six more flights to the Middle East and an additional flight to New Jersey will be operated from July 5 as Air-India's pilots have agreed to fly longer hours. Last week, the airline broke a pilots' strike by de-recognising their union, the Indian Pilots' Guild, and suspending 48 of its members for refusing to operate flights over the threat of SARS. The Indian government that owns Air-India also asked the airline's managers to recruit pilots from abroad on short-term contract to keep the flights going. Earlier Jitendra Bhargava, director of public relations with Air-India, said a seven-member executive committee of the guild was being investigated for instigating pilots not to operate flights. On the other hand, proceedings have been initiated against line pilots for acts of indiscipline. Pilots refusing to fly to countries affected by the SARS outbreak had called the strike. They demanded that Air-India issue certificates stating that the crews accompanying them had not flown to SARS-affected destinations. The killer pneumonia, SARS, has claimed over 400 lives worldwide, with East and Southeast Asia bearing the brunt of the viral disease. Air-India officials, however, said the agitation was only a camouflage by the pilots for more money.
Source: IANS
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