Mumbai/Delhi/Bangalore: Financially strapped Kingfisher Airlines was forced to stop flying any aircraft today, as its engineers and pilots decided to stay away from work due to non-payment of their salaries which have been pending from March this year.
With as many as around 80 flights not taking off all across the country, Civil Aviation minister Ajit Singh swung into action acknowledging that the airline for the first time has been confronted with the issue on safety, and even threatening Kingfisher with closure if something is found amiss on the safety front.
Speaking to reporters Singh said: "This is the first time that a safety issue has come up, earlier there were issues about salaries. Till the certified engineers don't certify the airworthiness of the Kingfisher aircraft, DGCA won’t allow them to fly". Singh also added" "If there is a safety issue with Kingfisher we will close it down". The DGCA has also summoned the company's top executives including the CEO for a meeting tomorrow on the growing financial problem.
But Singh again reiterated that an airline cannot be closed down on the issue of non-payment of salary. “By that logic Air India should have been closed down too” he added.
01/09/12 Business Standard
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With as many as around 80 flights not taking off all across the country, Civil Aviation minister Ajit Singh swung into action acknowledging that the airline for the first time has been confronted with the issue on safety, and even threatening Kingfisher with closure if something is found amiss on the safety front.
Speaking to reporters Singh said: "This is the first time that a safety issue has come up, earlier there were issues about salaries. Till the certified engineers don't certify the airworthiness of the Kingfisher aircraft, DGCA won’t allow them to fly". Singh also added" "If there is a safety issue with Kingfisher we will close it down". The DGCA has also summoned the company's top executives including the CEO for a meeting tomorrow on the growing financial problem.
But Singh again reiterated that an airline cannot be closed down on the issue of non-payment of salary. “By that logic Air India should have been closed down too” he added.
01/09/12 Business Standard
