Air India pilots' strike: Day 8 and no compromise in sight

It's day 8 of the Air India pilots' strike and thereappears to be no sign of a compromise between the pilots on strike and themanagement of the national carrier.  At least nine flights have beencancelled today.

Later today the issue of the striking pilots will bediscussed in Parliament.

The Air India management also has been handed over medical reports of thepilots, who had started the agitation by calling in sick. According to themedical summary, about 48 out of the 53 Delhi-based pilots who reported sickwere not found at home. Their residences were found locked and their mobilesunreachable. Nine out of 18 outstation pilots, who were staying at Hotel Hyatt,complained of bad stomach and backache but doctors found them medically fit. Ofthe 53 homes visited by doctors, 12 were found locked. When doors were opened,the medical teams were given unclear information.

However, the civil aviation says he's not surprised at the report. Speaking tojournalists he said, everybody knew what the reality is. "It was known onday 1 itself what the real issue is. Their union leader was openly saying'tomorrow, more pilots will fall sick', so you know it was pre planned,"he said.

At airports across the country, fewer people are now turning up even as AirIndia has extended the bar on bookings for its West-bound flights tillThursday. Reports suggest that it is mulling over the option of shutting downglobal operations till a resolution is found to the pilots' strike. Yesterday,14 international flights were cancelled.

The airline, which had stopped taking bookings for flights to North America andEurope till Tuesday, extended the period till May 17, airline officials said.

Complete closure of international operations was not being ruled out if thestrike continued, they said, adding that these services were responsible forabout 48 per cent of the operational losses of the ailing national carrier. Itis estimated that the national carrier has already suffered losses worth overRs 150 crore in the last eight days.

Dubbing their stir as "meaningless" after a court order, Governmenthas refused to hold talks with the agitating pilots till they resumed work.

The Delhi High Court had last week called the stir by a section of pilots asillegal.

The airline has already sacked 71 pilots, de-recognised their union -- IndianPilots' Guild, and sealed their offices.