The Hindu Business Line : A look back at state carriers’ pilots stir

New Delhi, Sept. 28 While the on-going pilots’ agitation by sections of the Air India staff is the first real pilot agitation being faced by the merged airline, the erstwhile Indian Airlines and Air India have had their share of agitation by employees, including pilots.

In December 1993, the Indian Commercial Pilots Association (IPCA) went on an agitation protesting against the non-revision of certain allowances.

The 45-day strike, which began on December 10, ended only towards the end of January the following year.

Almost a decade later in 2003, it was the turn of the AI pilots to strike.

Taking refuge under the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) affecting several parts of the world including South-East Asia, pilots refused to operate flights.

The then Minister for Civil Aviation, Mr Shahnawaz Hussain, told newspersons that the agitation was costing Air India between Rs 10 crore and Rs 15 crore a week.

Both the agitations were messy affairs with the management of both the airlines handing out suspension letters to pilots who were members of the ICPA and IPG. This time around the management has not taken stern action like sacking pilots yet, though it warns that its patience is being tested by the continuation of the agitation.

Financial impact

While the exact financial impact of the latest action and other agitations on the bottom line is not available, data made available in 2003 through official channels to Business Line showed that agitation by various groups connected with Air India between January 1991 and March 1996 cost the airline a financial loss of Rs 143.62 crore.

The agitation undertaken by the various unions, association and guilds lasted 154 days and led to the cancellation of 630 flights.

During January 1991 and March 1996, the maximum loss suffered by the airline was due to the 56-day agitation that led to the cancellation of 464 flights and resulted in a financial loss of Rs 109.58 crore.

The year 1993 was a particularly bad for AI. The various unions, associations and guilds were on agitation for close to 80 days during the year leading to disruption of more than 515 flights. The agitations are said to have caused a financial loss of close to Rs 9 crore to the airline.

The following year, the number of days lost due to agitation came down drastically to around 16 and the financial impact was estimated at around Rs 5.70 crore.

Since March 1996, relations between the erstwhile AI management and staff have been quite good as the differences standing in the way of normal operations were largely ironed out.

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