Air India has lost 150 crores because of pilots' strike, says Ajit Singh

New Delhi: Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh appealed to the Air India pilots to end their strike today, promising that the airline's management "will in no way be vindictive towards any employee." The caveat, he said, is that "passengers are not inconvenienced."

Mr Singh was speaking in Parliament where he disclosed that the strike, which began eight days ago, has cost the near-bankrupt airline Rs 150 crores.

Nearly 71 pilots have been fired so far. Mr Singh has said they cannot be reinstated. The strike, in the middle of a busy summer season, has seen at least 10 flights cancelled everyday. It also comes weeks after the government cleared a bailout of 30,000 crores for the airline. "This bailout is not without strings. They have to meet strict standards...we  can't keep pouring (in) public money. This is the last chance for them to perform," the minister said.

Mr Singh was grilled in Parliament by the Opposition members about his statement on an NDTV program on Monday night, where he had said there was no need for a national carrier.

Many MPs also said that there needs to a detailed inquest- some suggested a CBI inquiry into irregularities and steps to end the strike by Air India pilots.

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In 2007, the government merged the two national carriers- Air India, which handled foreign routes, and Indian Airlines, which flew domestically. It has been an unhappy union.  Pilots from both airlines have different stands on promotions, parity, and the sort of training they are entitled to.

Air India pilots, who are now on strike, say that they are not being promoted according to an agreed-upon schedule. They also say Indian Airlines' pilots should not be trained to fly the Boeing Dreamliner, which joins the national carrier's fleet soon.

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Medical teams have been visiting the homes of pilots who have been calling in sick. 48 of the 53 pilots in Delhi who said they are unwell were not found at home and were unreachable on their cellphones.

"These (pilots) are our children. So we will not be harsh on them and without their cooperation and cooperation of other employees no airline can survive," Mr Singh said.

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His response came as members, cutting across party lines, wanted an immediate end to the pilots' agitation and expressed concern over the health of Air India, while questioning the decision of merging the two erstwhile state-run carriers -- Air India and Indian Airlines.

Regretting that pilots had resorted to strike during peak season, he said the government had announced Rs 30,000 crore as bailout package over eight years.

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"This is bailout is not without strings. They have to meet strict standards. If they meet these standards, then we will release public money. We can't keep pouring public money. This is the last chance for them to perform," the Minister said, seeking cooperation of all employees in this regard.