Kingfisher chief makes stark warning to strikers
Chairman of Kingfisher Airlines, Vijay Mallya, has threatened to halt support for the airline if staff members continue to disrupt services with strike action.
In an open letter published on Thursday, Mallya wrote: “Why should I spend everyday to keep our airline afloat if the actions of our own colleagues lead to loss of guest confidence and lower income by cancellation of flights or low load factors that result from uncertainty?
“If some colleagues feel that I will be pressurized by flight cancellations, they are wrong.
“Instead, I will stop my own support as a few are effectively holding the entire company to ransom.”
On Wednesday, 22 flights were cancelled from Delhi and nine from Mumbai when pilots and engineers did not show up to work. On Thursday a further 19 services from Delhi were disrupted as workers continued to protest the issue of non-payment.
According to IBNS, Kingfisher reported a loss INR651 crore in the April-June quarter, more than doubling its losses compared to the same period last year, and has struggled to meet salary payments, oil dues, and airport charges since February.