At least 11 AI flights cancelled as pilots stay away from work

New Delhi, Sep 26 (PTI) At least 11 flights of Air India
were Saturday cancelled as a section of its pilots did not
report to work to protest reduction in their
productivity-linked incentives.

Besides a Kabul-bound international flight from here,
seven domestic flights to Mumbai, Lucknow, Aurangabad, Pune,
Chennai, Srinagar and Indore-Bhopal were cancelled.

In Chennai, two international flights to Colombo and
Sharjah and one domestic flight to Madurai were cancelled due
to the agitation by Executive pilots.

In Kolkata, a flight to Aizwal was cancelled as the pilot
reported sick.

However, Air India spokesperson Jitendra Bhargava claimed
that flight operations were largely unaffected by the
agitation. "Only 11 flights have been cancelled whereas all
other flights have taken off since morning," he said.

It was not clear as to how many pilots had not reported
for duty as there were claims and counter-claims.

While Bhargava said that only 11 pilots had not reported
for duty, representative of Executive pilots Captain R K
Bhalla said that the number of absentee pilots was much
higher.

Bhargava said the agitating pilots were expected to meet
the Air India management Sunday in Mumbai to discuss their
demands. (MORE) PTI