AI may suspend operations for 2 weeks after talks fail

MUMBAI/NEW DELHI: Beleaguered Air India which carries about 30,000 passengers each day mulled suspending its operations for about 15 days from midnight tonight after fresh talks with the striking Executive pilots failed to break the three-day deadlock over cut in perks.

Sources in the airline in Delhi and Mumbai said tonight the state-owned carrier has stopped accepting bookings and that it was seriously considering suspending the operations. A formal order to suspend the flights is being discussed and expected to be issued soon, sources said.

A quick search on the airline website threw up the sign of 'no seats available' for all classes. The cash-strapped airline operates around 310 flights (domestic--220 and international-90).

"The booking agents have been told not to accept any bookings from tonight till October 15," a source closed to the developments said in Mumbai.

The Air India management held second round of talks in as many days with the striking pilots in New Delhi but the stalemate did not yield any solution.

The two-hour long talks ended in a "stalemate", said Delhi-based Captain V K Bhalla, who is leading the agitation of pilots. Air India spokesman Jitendra Bhargava also said the talks remained "inconclusive". The pilots are expected to be derostered and some of them are likely to be sacked.



At least 40 flights were cancelled across the country today as some pilots, majority of them Delhi-based, continued to report "sick" to protest cut in Productivity-Linked Incentive (PLI).

The management is apparently taking recourse to suspension of flights after scores of pilots of the erstwhile international carrier Air India before the merger began reporting 'sick'.