At least 11 Air India flights delayed as pilots call in sick

New Delhi: Pilot trouble has hit national carrier Air India again today as at least 11 flights were delayed across the network. Pilots began calling in sick this morning and it is possible that some flights may have to be clubbed/combined by the evening to maintain the airline’s schedule.

Delays could also grow as the day progresses. Regulator DGCA is already investigating these delays - it wants to know if affected passengers are being compensated as per existing rules.

The pilots have decided to call in sick in protest again a decision by the Ministry of Labour and Employment to take out Pilots in Command from the category of workmen under the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947. This essentially means senior pilots, which form just under half the pilot workforce of Air India, can no longer be part of any employee union. A senior Air India official said today that the airline has now sent doctors at the homes of those pilots who reported sick and some have been asked to get themselves examined at designated dispensaries.

Another official said “pilots are reporting sick on frivolous grounds to register their protest against a recent labour ministry on exclusion of pilots in command from the definition of workmen. This is delaying flights and inconveniencing passengers and the image of the national carrier”.

As per our information, till about 12 pm today, three flights from Delhi bound for Moscow, Hong Kong and Bhubaneshwar has been delayed. Four originating from Mumbai for Nagpur, Jodhpur, Bangalore and Bhubaneshwar were delayed and so were flights from these four stations to Mumbai. The official quoted earlier said five pilots based in Chennai and four in Mumbai reported sick this morning and doctors are being sent to examine each.

It is interesting to note that pilot trouble has hit Air India just when the government announced Ashwani Lohani as the new chairman and managing director who is slated to take over from outgoing Rohit Nandan. Lohani has been hailed as a turnaround specialist, it remains to be seen if the new CMD can tackle the HR issues at the ailing airline. There are 1,400 odd pilots employed with Air India, of which 600 are pilots in command.