Updated on
Summary Indian Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh said pilots have not approached him with their concerns.
Terming the strike illegal, the minister added that while the government is trying to bail out the national carrier, he expects the pilots to cooperate and be responsible.On Tuesday, 150 Air India pilots, reportedly unhappy with the management over their promotions, skipped work by calling in sick. A furious management then derecognized a major union - the Indian Pilots Guild - and sacked ten pilots, including four office-bearers of the guild.The unions offices in Mumbai and Delhi were also sealed. Medical teams were sent to the homes of some of the pilots who had reported sick. But despite this, the pilots remain undeterred and are continuing with their strike for the second day today, resulting in cancellation of many international flights.Air India operates about 50 international flights a day. A month ago, the government cleared a 30,000 crore bailout for the airline. Many of the issues for pilots have stemmed from the merger five years ago of Air India with the government-owned domestic carrier, Indian Airlines.As the standoff left thousands of passengers stranded, union minister Ajit Singh said yesterday that he believes the time for national carriers is gone and that the government cannot and should not run any service industry.
