Kingfisher leaves employees in dark on Diwali, fails to pay salaries on time

Mumbai: Around 3,000 employees of the near-bankrupt Kingfisher Airlines were left in the dark on Diwali after the management failed to pay their May salary, despite its commitment that their dues will be cleared by the festival. Kingfisher has so far only paid April salary post the calling off of the strike. This too was paid with a delay of a couple of days than the promised date. Kingfisher management has told the employees that they couldn’t honour the Diwali commitment because there was a public holiday in South India on Monday. They have told them that they may pay the amount post Diwali now.

Employees, meanwhile, have been circulating the following message, “3000 Kingfisher employees get Diwali gift. No salary as per commitments. Black Diwali for Kingfisher employees and their families. Mallya has not sold his silver, but KFA employees have sold their households. Once again failure of commitments by Constitutional Leader.”

The airline, which is grounded since October 1 after its engineers and pilots went on strike demanding payment of their salary dues, has not paid its employees since May this year.

Kingfisher said that they couldn\'t honour the Diwali commitment because there was a public holiday in South India on Monday.

The employees, however, called off their strike late last month after the airline's chief executive, Sanjay Agarwal pleaded them to return to work and assured that they will receive their three-month salaries in staggered schedule by Diwali.

Aviation regulator DGCA suspended Kingfisher's flying licence and asked the airlines to submit a revival plan if it wants to fly again. The airline spokesperson was not available for comment.

(With additional inputs from PTI)

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