Pilot strike costs Air India Rs 600 crore

Air India has lost around Rs 600 crore due to the recent 58-day-long strike by its pilots, Civil Aviation Minister, Ajit Singh, said in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.

The state-run carrier is already saddled with debt and losses to the tune of Rs 24,000 crore. Its interest outgo per day is about Rs 5 crore while it has been put on cash and carry scheme by the oil marketing companies for having failed to clear dues to the tune of Rs 2,360 crore.

“The total loss of revenue already caused to Air India due to prolonged strike by the pilots is approximately Rs 600 crore, he said in a written reply.

He said a section of Air India pilots represented by Indian Pilots Guild started reporting sick from May 7 in protest against the management’s decision to train pilots of erstwhile Indian Airlines to fly the newly acquired Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft.

The minister said due to the strike the national carrier had to restructure its operations and just operate 39 of the 46 international flights. He also informed that Air India management has derecognised the pilot’s union and terminated the services of 98 pilots.