The 10-day-old Air India domestic pilots’ strike was finally called off Friday night after prolonged negotiations between the striking pilots and the civil aviation ministry, even as the tough stand taken by civil aviation minister Vayalar Ravi and the pressure exerted by the government on the pilots seems to have paid off. Top government
sources told this newspaper late Friday night that no interim financial benefits have been given to the pilots. Some pilots have expressed deep disappointment with their union leaders and are questioning why the 10-day strike was called off.
Capt. Rishabh Kapur, one of the pilots leading the strike called by the Indian Commercial Pilots Association, said the strike was being called off with effect Friday night after the government agreed to reinstate all the sacked pilots and once again recognise the ICPA, which was recently derecognised by the national carrier. Mr Kapur also said the demands of pay parity of the striking pilots with international route pilots would be examined by the Justice Dharmadhikari Committee, which will submit its report by November. The pilots also conceded that no interim financial benefits in the form of any flying allowance had been given to them and no commitment made by the government on this. The domestic pilots were demanding a fixed component of 75 hours of flying as monthly salary and international flying allowance on the basis of this.