AI pilots ready to raise white flag; look for face-saver

New Delhi: Even before the day is out, the 10-day strike by Air India pilots affiliated to the Indian Pilots Guild (IPG) has fizzled out. An airline spokesperson in New Delhi confirmed that three IPG pilots have reported back to work but he could not confirm which station they have joined back at.

This, even as IPG leader Jitendra Ahwad continued with his aggressive stand, saying pilots have not taken back their strike and want a meeting with the Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh before taking a call.

So what did the pilots achieve by hindering AI’s international operations for 10 long days? And is the strike - or pilots faking sickness - really over or is there a split within the IPG? There are no clear answers as yet to either question.

The IPG pilots belong to the erstwhile Air India and in their negotiations with the Ministry of Civil Aviation last week, they wanted that their counterparts in erstwhile Indian Airlines do not get seniority in the B 787 Dreamliner cockpit. Which means their (AI pilots’) career progression should be fast tracked so that they become commanders in about eight years against 12 years now. Pilots of erstwhile IA become commanders in about six years due to different service rules.

A senior ministry official had said earlier that the Government was willing to consider this plan but talks stalled when pilots demanded that they be paid the wages of commanders too. So will they now be happy being notional commanders?

Also, as the evening progresses, it will become clear if more IPG pilots are breaking ranks to join back since most AI international flights begin late night.

IT makes sense for pilots to blink first because after Sunday night, when the strike enters its 15th day, pilots who have called in sick for 14 days would have had to face a full medical board of the Air Force. This would have meant that getting back to flying an aircraft is delayed, probably for months.

Till date, Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh has held on to his stance that no talks will be conducted with agitating pilots till they return to work. But the Government has already extended an olive branch by not filing contempt of court proceedings against the pilots and delaying implementation of the contingency operations schedule.

Both sides are bruised and looking to end the fight, but neither side wants to blink first.

In fact, sources told Firstpost that the decision of the pilots to call off their agitation could eventually hinge on just one point - whether the government agrees to take back all the 71 pilots who have been suspended or only some of them.

Since Monday last, pilots affiliated to the derecognised Indian Pilots Guild (IPG) have been calling in sick while pressing for two demands: not to allow pilots of the erstwhile Indian Airlines to train on the B787 Dreamliners and that all pilots should be given First Class seats when flying to operate flights. They also wanted new rules on career progression.

This has meant Air India’s international operations have been crippled for the last 10 days. Even now, only a skeletal schedule is operational and the airline has already lost over Rs 150 crore in revenues.

ON Wednesday, there were unconfirmed reports that the pilots want to end the stir and join back. But Jitendra Ahwad, the leader of this strike, denied this to Firstpost, saying the minister had not even granted them a meeting so there was no question of ending the strike. A senior civil aviation ministry official also denied reports that the strike had been called off.

Sources indicated that both the government and agitating pilots were looking for a face-saving formula to find an exit from the current imbroglio. Political parties are also believed to be using their influence with the pilots to make them see sense - Ahwad is an NCP MLA. Agitating IPG pilots have spoken to several politicians, including Sitaram Yechury, who heads the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture.

On its part, the government has already extended an olive branch by not filing contempt of court proceedings against the pilots and delaying implementation of the contingency operations schedule. Also, it has already agreed to granting notional commanders’ position to IPG pilots besides fast-tracking their promotion to the commander’s post.

Earlier on Wednesday, the Delhi High Court reserved its order on a plea by a section of pilots against a single judge order restraining them from continuing the ‘illegal strike’ by reporting sick. A two-judge bench is expected to pronounce the order tomorrow.

In all likelihood, the strike could fizzle out before that if the two sides sit down at the negotiating table.