Civil Aviation minister rules out partial lockout of Air India due to pilots' strike

New Delhi: Refuting media reports that Air India may be partially locked out due to pilots' strike, Union Civil Aviation Minister Vayalar Ravi on Saturday said that chartered flights have been arranged to ferry stranded passengers.
When asked if the national carrier may be partially locked out due to the strike, Ravi said: "No, that is the media report. Nothing has been discussed like that. Some of them are on strike but we are trying to maintain, as much as possible, flights."
About 130 flights were cancelled as nearly half of Air India's 1,600 pilots continued their agitation for the fourth day. So far nine pilots have been sacked.
The airline has stopped taking fresh bookings.
"I have given instructions to inform international centres like New York, England everywhere that these are the connectivity available to them. These connectivities are available in coordination with private airlines also. We have stopped booking for the last two days. It means fresh passengers will come. Those who have booked already, they will be transported with existing flights as well as with chartered flights also," said Ravi.
During the meeting with striking pilots, the minister assured to appoint a judicial committee to look into their grievances of salary hike, merger of erstwhile domestic Indian Airlines with Air India and other demands.
30/04/11 ANI/Economic Times

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Categories: Air India May 2011