Air India pilots refuse to meet with management

The deadlock between striking Air India pilots and management is likely to continue for some time as they are in no mood to talk with the authorities till a directive to effect a cut in their productivity-linked incentives (PLIs) is withdrawn.

"We will not go for any negotiation until the management comes to a neutral platform," Captain VK Bhalla, a representative of agitating executive pilots told PTI.

"By neutral platform I mean first the payment of the allowances of all pilots, which is due for the last three months and second the withdrawal of the directive for a upto 50 per cent reduction in PLIs," he said.

Air India CMD Arvind Jadhav is expected to meet the agitating pilots in Mumbai later today to "address their concerns" and resolve the agitation. Bhalla claimed that the Air India management had approached a few pilots based in Mumbai and ignored others in Delhi, Kolkata and Chennai.

Meanwhile, over 20 flights across the country, including 15 from Delhi, were today cancelled after the pilots reported sick. "As per the contingency plan, we have cancelled flights on those sectors which have low passenger load or on which there are alternative flights, either by us or by other airlines," an Air India official said.
 
"Keeping in view the agitation by the executive (senior) pilots, the airline reduced its seat availability from 37,000 to 22,000 per day," Air India spokesperson Jitendra Bhargava said.