Flight and airport services were largely unaffected in various places across the country , despite an indefinite "non-cooperation" move called by Airport Authority of India.
NEW DELHI: Flight and airport services were largely unaffected in various places across the country on Wednesday morning, despite an indefinite "non-cooperation" move called by Airport Authority of India Employees Union which began since this midnight to protest the closure of existing airports in Bangalore and Hyderabad.
Operations in major airports across the country remained normal as per initial reports with flights operating on schedule. The government has already deployed 479 Air Force personnel in 21 key airports across the country in the wake of the strike call.
Flight operations in the national capital remained normal with airlines operating services on time. During four hours from 5:30 a.m. about 85 domestic and international flights took off from Delhi airport while 45, sources said.
"There is no problem. Everything is normal. I got my baggage in time. We expercted chaos here but I was surprised to find everything normal on a strike day," Ajay Kumar Singh, who arrived from Mumbai, said.
Some employees of the Airport Authority Employees Joint Forum staged a demonstration in front of arrival terminal of the airport shouting anti-government slogans and said they will not handle ground services until airport management looks into their demands.
About 2,000 workers at the Mumbai airport have not reported for work since the strike began but it did not affect the airport operations, sources said.
In Kolkata, flight operations were normal at the NSC Bose International Airport while 30 Air Force personnel were stationed there to man crash fire services and specialized vehicles operations.
In Chennai, flights operations were normal at both the domestic and international airports this morning.
Flights to Delhi, Port Blair, Kolkata, Bangalore and Coimbatore left on schedule. Even international flights to Gulf and Britain left on schedule, sources said.
A Coimbatore report said flight operations there was normal.
Reports from Bangalore also said there were no disruption of services in this city.
"There is no impact. Flights are coming and taking off as usual. It's business as usual," an airport official said.
In Kerala's Thiruvanathapuram, a section of employees have not joined work but airport sources said it had not affected the flight operations.
Flight operations at the Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL) at Nedumbassery were also not affected.
International flights operated by various airlines like Kuwait Airways, Indian, Gulf Air, Air India Express and Oman Airways arrived on time without any obstruction, airport sources said.
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