Airlines join hands, clamour for remedy to service tax

The 10% service tax on air travel in business and premium classes proposed in the budget appears to have brought the domestic carriers together.

Kingfisher Airlines chairman Vijay Mallya, Jet Airways chairman Naresh Goyal, IndiGo Airlines president Aditya Ghosh and even Arvind Jadhav, the chairman of National Aviation Company of India Ltd that runs state-owned Air India, were among airline representatives who met civil aviation minister Vayalar Ravi on Friday morning under the aegis of Federation of Indian Airlines to seek remedial action against the levy.

Air India pilots told to change tack: In another development, Air India chairman and managing director Arvind Jadhav on Friday asked pilots to adopt an “earn more means work more” approach.

He made it clear to employees that demands of any one category cannot be addressed in isolation.

His comments, made during a meeting with pilots, general managers and executive directors, assume significance since a section of pilots, under the Indian Commercial Pilots Association has called for a strike from March 9, seeking parity in pay with pilots of erstwhile Air India.