No-pay dampens Kingfisher Airlines staff’s Diwali

Kingfisher employees have not had much reason to celebrate Diwali this year. Reason: They claim they are yet to receive their salaries for the month of May, which they were promised would be deposited in their bank accounts before the start of the festival.

Kingfisher Airlines has been grounded since the beginning of October when its employees refused to work after they were not paid their salaries for seven months. After a deadlock of several days, the airline management promised to pay them their salaries for three months before Diwali. “I was expecting to get my salary before Diwali as promised and was more than happy to celebrate the festival. But now, it all has been ruined,” a Kingfisher Airline engineer said.

The Vijaya Mallaya-promoted airline is presently going through its worst financial phase, as since it was grounded, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) suspended its license and asked the airline management to come up with a convincing revival plan if it wants to be in the air again.

A Kingfisher Airlines spokesperson refused to comment.