Section of Kingfisher pilots on strike, 5 flights cancelled

Second instance of agitation over non-payment of dues in last 8 days

A section of pilots of Kingfisher Airlines today went on a strike over non-payment of salary and other dues for the past five months, forcing cancellation of five flights.

Airline officials said the pilots who did not report to work were those who operate the 70-seater ATR turboprop aircraft on short-haul routes connecting regional airports.

In Delhi, two flights each to Dharamsala and Dehradun and one flight to Shimla have been cancelled by the Vijay Mallya-owned airline since this morning.

However, the Airbus A-320 operations of Kingfisher were going on as per the normal schedule, the officials maintained.

This is the second time in last eight days that the airline's pilots have gone on an agitation over non-payment of their dues.

"A section of the airline's pilots, mainly operating ATRs, did not report for duty on the salary payment issue.

Owing to the agitation, the airline has cancelled five flights as we could not get pilots to operate the aircraft," the officials told PTI.

The number of pilots who have joined the agitation is not immediately known, they said, adding that Kingfisher CEO Sanjay Aggarwal was expected to meet the agitators soon.

Kingfisher Airlines spokesperson was not immediately available for comment.