Air India employees say that the coronavirus crisis has put the airline in a precarious financial position.
New Delhi, June 6:
Air India employees say that the coronavirus crisis has put the airline in a precarious financial position.
Many Air India pilots alleged that the treatment meted out to them by the management has been “distasteful”.
Sources in Air India say that the latest issue that has troubled the pilots is the information from the Ministry of Civil Aviation that has asked AI management to offer the pilots pay on the basis of actual flying hours.
An Air India pilot, on condition of anonymity, told India Today that the management was making fun of the employees.
“So on one hand, we are the Covid warriors fighting in the forefront. We are told that we are doing great work serving our motherland at the time of crisis. And on the other hand, the treatment given to us is shameful,” the AI pilot said.
Another Air India pilot told India Today that the management should not make him and the other pilots feel like a “used tissue paper” and the proposal to restrict pay for flying is “demoralising”.
“This is so demoralising. There is no question of accepting such a proposal. We just want to say that the management should not make us feel like a used tissue paper,” the pilot, who did not wish to be named, said.
Earlier on June 4, an internal communication of the pilot body demanded to clear the March Flying allowance.
“We expressed the hardships faced by the pilots while operating Vande Bharath mission under the present circumstances of Covid-19 which is physically and psychologically challenging, especially at a time when many of our pilots are testing laboratory Covid-19 positive with symptoms. We also demanded the March Flying allowance to be cleared immediately along with dispensation to handful of our pilots who couldn’t genuinely satisfy the clause as per the agreement,” the pilot body said.
Meanwhile, the Indian Commercial Pilots’ Association had written a strongly-worded letter to the management on May 31.
“Sir, you will appreciate the fact that we are operating flights under Vande Bharath Mission as “National Duty” and the treatment meted to the operating crew is distasteful. We do not appreciate the treatment perpetrated to our crew and if history repeats itself we will not be in a position to operate any flights other than the essential services,” the pilots, in a letter to the management, stated.
An Air India official refused to comment on the issue, saying that the airline doesn’t comment on internal issues.
The cabin crew too stated they are “not happy” with the present circumstances. They allege that there is “no clarity on insurance” and that crew were catching infection even with PPE kit on.
“There have been so many cases in the last couple of days,” an AI cabin crew, wanting to remain anonymous, said.
