Protesting AI pilots meet Ravi, assure cooperation

Adopting a conciliatory approach, protesting Air India pilots, owing allegiance to the Indian Pilots' Guild (IPG), today met Civil Aviation Minister Vayalar Ravi and assured "full cooperation" for smooth operations of the airline.

After the meeting here, the pilots' representatives said, "IPG has assured the hon'ble minister full cooperation for the smooth operations of Air India and Air India Express."

They said Ravi assured the delegation that "all issues raised by the IPG will be viewed in a fair and unbiased manner".

The IPG, which represents about 200 pilots belonging to the pre-merger Air India, has been protesting alleged discrimination in career progression by the AI management vis-a-vis their counterparts from the erstwhile Indian Airlines.

Following their protest and a threat to quit, Air India decided to defer a training programme for pilots to fly the Boeing 787 Dreamliners by a month and recalled the first batch of pilots which had left for Singapore and Gatwick in the UK for training. The first Dreamliner is scheduled to be inducted in Air India by late December or early January.

The IPG contention was, however, challenged by the Indian Commercial Pilots Association (ICPA) which termed it as "unreasonable" and contrary to the agreement reached between the two unions and the management in early October. ICPA represents about 1,400 pilots of erstwhile Indian Airlines.

The IPG has so far held two rounds of talks with the management, one each in Delhi and Mumbai, demanding that a comprehensive training plan should be drawn up for all pilots of the national carrier.