Air India pilot strike continues
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The ongoing Air India pilot strike that started on Monday continued today as more pilots are expected to join the protest. The airline’s pilots are protesting the management’s decision to train pilots of erstwhile Indian Airlines to fly the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Approximately 220 pilots reported sick by Tuesday evening, leading to cancellation of about 20 international flights. Close to 10 long-haul flights from Delhi and Mumbai to destinations like Toronto, Chicago, Newark were cancelled, while Air India Express cancelled six of its 20 flights yesterday.
Civil Aviation Minister, Ajit Singh termed the strike illegal and made it clear that a dialogue would not happen until disruptions were halted. According to a Times of India report, the airline management has also given pink slips to 10 pilots and has de-recognised the Indian Pilots Guild (IPG). “We are sending teams of doctors to homes of pilots who reported sick. If they are found to be okay, we will refer their files to the DGCA to get them examined by Air Force doctors and see if they were so sick that they could not operate flights,” sources informed the publication.
The Press Trust of India (PTI) reported an airline spokesperson as confirming that yesterday’s cancellations were due to a lack of pilots. The disruption is expected to intensify today with as many as 300 Air India pilots reported to be planning to strike on Wednesday.