Air India strike enters second day

A strike by pilots at Air India has led to more than 100 flights being cancelled.

Travel Insurance News - 28/04/2011

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By mid-day on Thursday, Air India had been forced to cancel at least 53 flights, as a strike by hundreds of its pilots entered its second day. The industrial action is causing chaos in the Indian aviation industry and angry complaints by government ministers.

According to differing accounts, more than 600 and as many as 800 of the airline’s pilots are reportedly taking part in the strike. Pilots refused to return to work, even as a High Court judge ordered them to do so.

Yesterday, 36 flights out of New Delhi were cancelled and another 10 from Mumbai were scrapped. This morning, the airline announced the cancellation of some 60 flights.

Passengers complained of a lack of information, with Air India booking counters closed across the country. Many travellers with tickets on Air India said the carrier’s call centre staff had incorrectly advised them that their flights were still operating as normal.

The airline has taken on executive pilots in a bid to keep routes open. As news of the strike became public, many private airlines were reported to have increased their fares in a bid to capitalise on the travel squeeze.

Air India pilots began their strike at midnight on Tuesday. Pilots are demanding increased pay, the removal of the head of the airline and an inquiry by India’s CBI. The pilots union has been derecognised and several pilots leading the industrial action have been fired.

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