Striking AI pilots ready for talks with Ajit Singh

Softening its stand, striking Air India pilots today welcomed Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh's offer to hold talks with them, indicating that they are ready to return to work if the 101 sacked pilots are reinstated.

A day after Singh's fresh appeal to them to end their strike which has entered the 17th day, the Indian Pilots Guild (IPG) sought an appointment with the minister to "clarify issues so that we can bring an end to the current impasse", IPG sources told PTI.

The IPG has been insisting that all the 101 sacked pilots be taken back for bringing an end to their strike.

In a letter to Singh, IPG General Secretary Erjahn Kapadia said, "we would be very grateful if you could accomodate us in your busy schedule and grant us an appointment at the earliest."

"We wish to reiterate that IPG members are willing, available and open to hold talks with the Hon'ble minister and ministry officials to end the stalemate at the earliest," it said appealing to Singh give them "at least a chance to present our case in front of him".

The IPG also claimed that it has requested one of the eight pilots recently trained to fly Boeing 787-Dreamliner to fly to Seattle in the US to take delivery of the first of these aircraft for Air India.

The IPG letter came a day after Singh said the government may consider reinstatement of the pilots on a case-to-case basis if they return to work.

"There is no bar on taking back sacked pilots. Due procedure will be followed and this will be done on a case-to -case basis only if all pilots first join back work. I am ready to talk on all issues only after they join work, not before," Singh had stated.

IPG Joint Secretary Tauseef Mukadam expressed willingness to hold discussions with the Minister but said he had not recieved any formal offer.

The strike has caused a loss of over Rs 250 crore to Air India so far. The airline has been operating curtailed international operations and announced a contingency plan that would remain effective till June 30.

Air India officials said the airline's interim schedule, as part of its contingency plan, would remain operational till June 30, unless the strike is called off before that day.

Under the interim schedule, Air India will operate 38 international flights per day instead of 45 that it operates under normal conditions.

While most flights affected are those to Europe and North America where a curtailed operation was on, the only destinations not covered under this schedule are Hong Kong, Osaka, Seoul and Toronto.

All flights to UAE, Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait, Singapore, Thailand and SAARC countries were being operated as per normal schedule.

Domestic operations of Air India are also being operated normally and there have been no disruption due to the present agitation, the officials said.

The AI management had moved a contempt petition in the Delhi High Court, accusing the agitators of "flagrant violation" of the court order which had declared the strike illegal.

While issuing notices to 67 pilots and the IPG, spearheading the pilots agitation, Justice Reva Khetrapal had yesterday expressed hope that better sense will prevail on them.

"Nobody is concerned with the plight of the passengers as somebody might have to see a person on a death bed... Some must have missed an important meeting or an important interview," she observed. The matter will now come up in the high court on July 13.