Now, AI sacks 2 pilots for feigning sickness

New Delhi: After young air hostesses, the Maharaja is out to discipline pilots who falsely report sick. Air India (domestic) dismissed two of its junior pilots who reported sick after reportedly not getting flight schedules of their choice. The airline sent doctors to their homes, found that they were not sick and sacked them.
Incidentally, this action comes close on the heels of some young air hostesses going on mass sick-leave to protest against wage disparity with senior cabin crew members. The airline then dispatched company doctors to their homes and suspended those whose homes were found locked or who did not get themselves admitted in hospital on the doctor's advice. But in the pilots' case, the airline went a step ahead and dismissed them.
AI spokesperson confirmed the pilots' sacking. "As an airline, we can't tolerate wilful attempts by anyone — like healthy pilots or cabin crew going on sick leaves — to disrupt schedules and inconvenience passengers," he said. The airline wanted to send a strong message to its pilots by telling them that the job situation is very bad and that hundreds of co-pilots are hunting for these elusive jobs. The merged AI-Indian Airlines has also issued ads for hiring young cabin crew. Unlike private airlines, which have an upper age of around 35 for air hostesses, the national carrier does not lay too much emphasis on having young cabin-crew members and allows its staff to fly till they are 58.
13/09/08 Saurabh Sinha/Times of India

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Categories: NACIL Sep 2008