ID :
79277
Thu, 09/10/2009 - 12:28
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/79277
The shortlink copeid
Efforts on to resolve Jet impasse; 200 flights cancelled
New Delhi/Mumbai, Sept 9 (PTI) The Jet Airways and its
agitating pilots were trying to find a way to end the stir
that led to cancellation of over 200 flights as more than 400
cockpit crew failed to turn up for work for the second day
Wednesday.
But for harried passengers, uncertainty continued as
there was no sign of normalcy being restored.
The protesting pilots expressed their readiness to talk
to the management but insisted on reinstatement of four of
their sacked colleagues while refusing to disband their newly
created National Aviators Guild (NAG), the union spearheading
the stir.
On its part, the airlines said it was willing to talk
but Chairman Naresh Goyal made it clear that he will not allow
the pilots hold the operations of the carrier to ransom and
action will be taken if they did not see reason.
Amid hectic efforts to end the stand-off, including
through back channels, Goyal had an hour-long meeting with
Indian Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel in Delhi. NAG
leaders met interlocutors to find a solution, informed sources
said.
In Mumbai, Jet chief commercial officer Sudheer
Raghavan told reporters, "Doors are open. We will be sitting
together."
Readiness for talks was also voiced by NAG leader and
sacked pilot Captain Sam Thomas. But he insisted that the
union will not be disbanded.
Earlier, Goyal said that the airlines will be left with
no option but to "sack more" if the agitators did not follow
the company rules and procedures.
During the Goyal-Patel meeting, the Minister is
understood to have conveyed to the Jet chief to take steps
urgently to end the agitation.
NAG President Gireesh Kaushik, who airdashed to Delhi
to hold parleys with interlocutors to find a way out, earlier
held the company management responsible for the plight of the
passengers.
In a related development, eight all-India trade unions
wrote a joint letter to Jet CEO Wolfgang Prock-Schauer
demanding immediate reinstatement of the sacked pilots and
recognition to the NAG.
The unions--AITUC, CITU, BMS, INTUC, HMS, UTUC, UTC and
AICCTU--blamed the Jet management for "violating" the legal
rights of the pilots to form a union.
As many as 208 flights, including 38 international,
were cancelled across the country as 432 out of 1056 pilots
did not report for work Wednesday, a company spokesperson said
in Mumbai. The total number of pilots includes nearly 200
expats. The NAG claims a membership of 680.
Most of the morning flights of Jet were cancelled
except those to Europe, the UK, North America and Singapore,
the airlines said.
Meanwhile, Air India Wednesday came to the rescue of
the Indian cricket team, which was booked on Jet, and flew it
to Colombo for a tri-nation one day series there.
The pilots are protesting against the management's
decision to sack two senior pilots. The airways had last month
terminated their services after they along with others formed
a trade union body in the company. PTI
agitating pilots were trying to find a way to end the stir
that led to cancellation of over 200 flights as more than 400
cockpit crew failed to turn up for work for the second day
Wednesday.
But for harried passengers, uncertainty continued as
there was no sign of normalcy being restored.
The protesting pilots expressed their readiness to talk
to the management but insisted on reinstatement of four of
their sacked colleagues while refusing to disband their newly
created National Aviators Guild (NAG), the union spearheading
the stir.
On its part, the airlines said it was willing to talk
but Chairman Naresh Goyal made it clear that he will not allow
the pilots hold the operations of the carrier to ransom and
action will be taken if they did not see reason.
Amid hectic efforts to end the stand-off, including
through back channels, Goyal had an hour-long meeting with
Indian Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel in Delhi. NAG
leaders met interlocutors to find a solution, informed sources
said.
In Mumbai, Jet chief commercial officer Sudheer
Raghavan told reporters, "Doors are open. We will be sitting
together."
Readiness for talks was also voiced by NAG leader and
sacked pilot Captain Sam Thomas. But he insisted that the
union will not be disbanded.
Earlier, Goyal said that the airlines will be left with
no option but to "sack more" if the agitators did not follow
the company rules and procedures.
During the Goyal-Patel meeting, the Minister is
understood to have conveyed to the Jet chief to take steps
urgently to end the agitation.
NAG President Gireesh Kaushik, who airdashed to Delhi
to hold parleys with interlocutors to find a way out, earlier
held the company management responsible for the plight of the
passengers.
In a related development, eight all-India trade unions
wrote a joint letter to Jet CEO Wolfgang Prock-Schauer
demanding immediate reinstatement of the sacked pilots and
recognition to the NAG.
The unions--AITUC, CITU, BMS, INTUC, HMS, UTUC, UTC and
AICCTU--blamed the Jet management for "violating" the legal
rights of the pilots to form a union.
As many as 208 flights, including 38 international,
were cancelled across the country as 432 out of 1056 pilots
did not report for work Wednesday, a company spokesperson said
in Mumbai. The total number of pilots includes nearly 200
expats. The NAG claims a membership of 680.
Most of the morning flights of Jet were cancelled
except those to Europe, the UK, North America and Singapore,
the airlines said.
Meanwhile, Air India Wednesday came to the rescue of
the Indian cricket team, which was booked on Jet, and flew it
to Colombo for a tri-nation one day series there.
The pilots are protesting against the management's
decision to sack two senior pilots. The airways had last month
terminated their services after they along with others formed
a trade union body in the company. PTI
