New Delhi: The strike by a section of Air India pilots will on Monday enter the 57th day, to attain the notorious distinction of becoming the second longest strike in the country's aviation history.
The Indian Pilots Guild (IPG), the union of Air India pilots, had also struck work in 1974 against cost cutting measures when fuel prices shot up alarmingly.
The 1974 strike lasted for well over 90 days. In 1993-94, a strike by Air India flight engineers lasted for 56 days.
Before the 1993-94 strike, the distinction of the second longest strike was held by AI's sister organisation Indian Airlines, whose pilots went on a five-week stir in 1991-92 demanding more wages....
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09:39 AM, Jul 02, 2012
New Delhi: Eleven striking pilots of Air India on Sunday went on an indefinite hunger-strike seeking the reinstatement of 101 sacked pilots. "Our protest is for the reinstatement of our sacked colleagues and for the recognition of our union," Rohit Kapahi of the Indian Pilots Guild, which has been de-recognized by the government, told IANS. "We want to bring the strike to an end as soon as possible," added Kapahi,...
04:24 PM, Jun 24, 2012
New Delhi: Upping the ante after their agitation entered the 47th day, Air India pilots on Saturday decided to start indefinite hunger-strike here from on Sunday to highlight their demands relating to career progression and other issues. The Indian Pilots' Guild (IPG), which has been de-recognised by the airline management for leading the ongoing agitation, said a batch of ten of its members would begin the hunger-strike "to protest against...
02:30 AM, Jun 24, 2012
New Delhi: As Air India mulled sacking 300 striking Air India pilots, Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh on Monday said the management should take a call now on how long can the airline keep the defiant pilots on its payroll if they stayed away for work. With the 36-day-old strike showing no signs of being called off, the troubled national carrier meanwhile set up a committee to review its global...
01:46 AM, Jun 12, 2012
New Delhi: With Air India considering further crackdown on the striking pilots, Civil Aviation Ministry sources say that the government has a back up plan and is prepared to manage without the IPG pilots. The government on Monday said it is for airlines management to decide for how long to keep them on their payroll when they are not working. "It is for the Air India management to take action...
04:04 PM, Jun 11, 2012
New Delhi/Mumbai: The Indian Pilots Guild (IPG), leading the Air India pilots' strike, on Saturday said it was ready to set aside all demands to end the strike if the government restored recognition to the union. "As Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh has assured us that our demands will be looked into, we all are ready to set aside our other demands and resume duties forthwith. But then we want...
02:40 AM, Jun 03, 2012
Mumbai: Citing the inconvenience being caused to people due to their agitation, the Bombay High Court on Friday asked the Indian Pilots Guild to first comply with the Delhi High Court order restraining them from continuing their "illegal strike" before sorting out the issues with the management. "You (IPG) may have problems but first comply with the Delhi High Court order. Then you can go sort out your issues. You...
04:56 PM, May 25, 2012
New Delhi/Mumbai: Softening its stand, striking Air India pilots on Thursday welcomed Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh's offer to hold talks with them, indicating that they are ready to return to work if the 101 sacked pilots are reinstated. A day after Singh's fresh appeal to them to end their strike which has entered the 17th day, the Indian Pilots Guild (IPG) sought an appointment with the minister to "clarify...
08:30 PM, May 24, 2012
Mumbai: With no end in sight to the strike by a section of Air India pilots which entered the 15th day on Tuesday, the airline management has extended its contingency plan of curtailed operations to June 1. "The contingency plan that we have put in place has now been extended to June 1 from May 25," Air India sources told PTI in Mumbai. Besides, the bookings are being accepted only...
11:26 PM, May 22, 2012
New Delhi: Adopting a 'carrot and stick' approach towards the 11-day Air India pilots' stir, government on Friday indicated it could take back all those sacked, barring the Indian Pilots Guild (IPG) office-bearers, if they resumed duty, as it alerted the IAF to set up medical boards to check pilots who have reported 'sick'. After sending doctors to the homes of all pilots who have reported sick, the Civil Aviation...
08:16 PM, May 18, 2012
New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Thursday dismissed an appeal by the Indian pilots guild challenging the single-judge order that had restrained the pilots of Air India from going on strike, terming it as illegal. The High Court said that the plea of the striking pilots "cannot be entertained as they are guilty of contempt". The decision by the single-judge bench was upheld by a division bench of Justice...
05:10 PM, May 17, 2012
New Delhi: Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh on Thursday said that the government will convene a meeting of all the recognised Air India unions next week to discuss Justice Dharmadhikari report on HR issues. Singh said he will discuss the issues of promotions and career progression of pilots in the meeting. The meeting will have representatives of all the recognised unions, which means the Indian Pilots' Guild that is spearheading...
11:21 AM, May 17, 2012
New Delhi: There are cracks in the Indian pilots guild over the ongoing strike by Air India pilots as three pilots have reported back to work on Wednesday. Reacting to the development, Jitendra Awhad, the president of the IPG, dismissed the reports as rumours, accusing the management of playing dirty politics. He asserted that none of the pilots from the IPG or the affiliated group had reported back to work....
07:15 PM, May 16, 2012
The pilots' association says they are willing to talk but if the government continues to act obstinate the crisis may escalate. ...
09:04 AM, May 15, 2012
Mumbai: Backing protesting Air India pilots, Jet Airways pilot body (SWIP) on Sunday called for immediate reinstatement of those sacked and appealed to Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh to intervene and get the issue resolved at the earliest. "We are calling for immediate reinstatement of our IPG colleagues and good faith negotiations between management, IPG and ICPA in the hope of reaching an agreement which is acceptable to all parties,"...
07:59 PM, May 13, 2012
New Delhi: The crisis in Air India worsened on Sunday with its executive pilots coming out in support of striking pilots, asking the management to revoke sack orders and hold immediate negotiations to end the six-day impasse, as at least 20 international flights were cancelled. The striking pilots while stating that they were ready for talks showed no signs of returning to work, leaving hundreds of passengers fretting with holiday...
07:06 PM, May 13, 2012
Mumbai: Under pressure from various quarters, the derecognised Indian Pilots Guild (IPG) on Thursday appealed to Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh to open channels of negotiation and accused the Air India management of backtracking on its commitments. "The ministry has failed to respond to the offer for talks. IPG is willing to meet with officials of management/ministry at any place at any time in order to resolve the impasse," the...
11:01 AM, May 10, 2012
Mumbai/New Delhi: The threat of another pilots' stir in Air India loomed large on Saturday, as one of its international flight was cancelled and two more delayed by over 16 hours after a section of pilots reported sick, apparently to protest rescheduling of Boeing 787 Dreamliner training programme. While a flight to Singapore from Delhi (AI-380), scheduled at 0005 hours tomorrow, was cancelled, two services to New York (AI-101) and...
02:49 AM, May 06, 2012
