ISSUE
Friday, August 22, 2025
Volume 16 . Issue 73
NEW DELHI: Air India extended its bar on bookings for flights to the US and Europe till Thursday as the strike by some of its pilots completed a week with no signs of a breakthrough and causing a reported nearly Rs 150 crore in losses.
Passengers continued to face troubles as the Air India pilots’ strike entered its seventh day on Monday with as at least 14 international flights were cancelled and national airline mulled shutting down global operations till a resolution is found.
The airline, which had stopped taking bookings for flights to North America and Europe till Tuesday, extended the period till May 17 due to the strike by over 200 pilots over salary and job promotion disputes, airline officials said.
The pilots have refused to sit at the dialogue table after withdrawing the strike as urged by Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh.
Speaking to reporters on Monday, Singh said, "whatever issues they have raised for this strike have already been resolved...by the court order, therefore, this strike is meaningless now."
The Air India Board, which met in New Delhi on Monday, expressed serious concern at the mounting losses due to the strike and added that the pilots protest has led to a loss of around Rs 150 crore for the airline, media reports said.
Earlier during the day, Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh reiterated that the pilots should come back to work after which all their issues will be discussed.
Asked about the agitating pilots coming to meet him, Singh said: "There was no information, no meeting. My PA (personal assistant) told me they had come but there was no plan. I was not aware. I didn't know they came and went away."
Air India has already written to the aviation watchdog Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), for having the agitating pilots' licences cancelled as per regulations.
The strike was on Wednesday last declared illegal by the Delhi High Court and Air India filed a contempt of court application in the Supreme Court against the pilots.
However, the Supreme Court on Friday refused to entertain the plea, instead advising the flag carrier to talk with its pilots to sort out differences.
Ajit Singh met the Prime Minister on Friday and apprised him on the stand-off.
NEW DELHI: Air India extended its bar on bookings for flights to the US and Europe till Thursday as the strike by some of its pilots completed a week with no signs of a breakthrough and causing a reported nearly Rs 150 crore in losses. Passengers continued to face troubles as the Air India...
NEW DELHI: Air India extended its bar on bookings for flights to the US and Europe till Thursday as the strike by some of its pilots completed a week with no signs of a breakthrough and causing a reported nearly Rs 150 crore in losses.
Passengers continued to face troubles as the Air India pilots’ strike entered its seventh day on Monday with as at least 14 international flights were cancelled and national airline mulled shutting down global operations till a resolution is found.
The airline, which had stopped taking bookings for flights to North America and Europe till Tuesday, extended the period till May 17 due to the strike by over 200 pilots over salary and job promotion disputes, airline officials said.
The pilots have refused to sit at the dialogue table after withdrawing the strike as urged by Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh.
Speaking to reporters on Monday, Singh said, "whatever issues they have raised for this strike have already been resolved...by the court order, therefore, this strike is meaningless now."
The Air India Board, which met in New Delhi on Monday, expressed serious concern at the mounting losses due to the strike and added that the pilots protest has led to a loss of around Rs 150 crore for the airline, media reports said.
Earlier during the day, Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh reiterated that the pilots should come back to work after which all their issues will be discussed.
Asked about the agitating pilots coming to meet him, Singh said: "There was no information, no meeting. My PA (personal assistant) told me they had come but there was no plan. I was not aware. I didn't know they came and went away."
Air India has already written to the aviation watchdog Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), for having the agitating pilots' licences cancelled as per regulations.
The strike was on Wednesday last declared illegal by the Delhi High Court and Air India filed a contempt of court application in the Supreme Court against the pilots.
However, the Supreme Court on Friday refused to entertain the plea, instead advising the flag carrier to talk with its pilots to sort out differences.
Ajit Singh met the Prime Minister on Friday and apprised him on the stand-off.
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