Air India reaches out to retired pilots as deadlock continues

Mumbai: With no end in sight to the 11-day strike by a section of Air India pilots that has already cost the debt-ladden carrier around Rs 200 crore, the airline management on Friday reached out to retired pilots to fly its planes.
Air India has put in place a contingency plan to operate at least half of its international flights, including one-stop flights to the US. The airline’s executive or management cadre pilots are operating the planes. Seeking additional resources, the management has approached nine retired pilots, who until recently were on contract with the airline.
The retired pilots are senior captains from the Boeing 747-400 fleet. Air India flies these planes on Jeddah and Riyadh routes, apart from using them for VVIP flights. “Their contracts were terminated three-four months back, as it felt their services were no longer necessary. However, now the airline management has approached them,” an airline official said, requesting anonymity.
19/05/12 Business Standard

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Categories: Air India May 2012