Air India crew, engineers on flash strike; 10 flights cancelled

NEW DELHI: At least 10 flights of Air India were cancelled on Tuesday as a section of employees of the airline, including engineers, went on a flash strike across the country to protest delay in payment of salaries. (Watch)

Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel held a meeting with Air India CMD Arvind Jadhav to take stock of the situation, official sources said.

Three flights each from Kolkata and Mumbai and four from Delhi were cancelled as the employees, including engineers and ground staff, walked out of their offices this afternoon and staged demonstrations at airports in different parts of the country.

"We have begun a flash strike to protest the delay in payment of salaries and highlight the problems of the cabin crew, after the management refused to pay heed to our demands," Air Corporation Employees Union (ACEU) General Secretary J B Kadian told PTI here.

Air India had recently decided that the May salaries would be delayed by a week.

Kadian said the management had issued "gag order" against leaders of all unions of Air India by asking them not to go public with their problems and termed the move as "anti-democratic".