Kingfisher employees camp inside airline office demanding wages

Over 50 Kingfisher employees including pilots and engineers are camping inside the airline's office since morning demanding payment of pending salaries.

The employees main demand is that the airline chairman Vijay Mallya meet them and address their concerns.

Kingfisher's operating permit has been suspended since last October and the airline has not paid its staff from August onwards.

Mallya, airline employees say, is heading to Canada to watch Formula One race and they want the chairman to meet them.

Hundreds of employees have quit the airline including senior management members as the airline has failed to come up with concrete revival plan.

"The agitating staff have brought with them their clothes and are adamant that  they will not leave until they meet the chairman,'' an airline source said. "The protest may escalate and the employees' family members too may join protest,'' he added.

"Employees are going through difficult times. Salary for the past 10 months has been pending and some of them have been forced to take drastic steps like selling properties as they have been unable to pay loans,'' he added.

A Kingfisher spokesperson refused comment.