Air India operates flights under the Vande Bharat program to bring stranded Indians back. (File)
New Delhi:
About 60 Air India pilots on repatriation flights to bring back Indians stranded abroad have tested positive for the coronavirus, the airline said in a letter to the government.
Vande Bharat’s Indian repatriation mission has resulted in “a heavy price to pay for those on the front lines. To date, at least 60 pilots and more have tested positive for Covid,” wrote the most experienced pilots of the national carrier. addressed to Minister of Civil Aviation Hardeep Puri.
“It has had a ‘devastating effect’ on their family members,” the letter said, protesting the government’s decision to drastically cut pilots’ salaries.
The government’s decision to cut pilots’ wages by up to 75% is “discriminatory, disproportionate and arbitrary and could have a disastrous psychological impact that could trigger” desperate and extreme acts “, as has been proven time and time again in the past”. warned senior pilots.
Air India has a debt of around Rs 70,000 crore. The government tried to sell the airline, but no deal has been reached so far.
Air India pilots were the first to fly to Wuhan to rescue stranded Indians and now operate flights under the Vande Bharat program to bring stranded Indian nationals back from a multitude of countries around the world.
Over 7.73,000 Indians have returned from all over the world. “We will always try to reach out to every stranded Indian,” the minister said.
On July 16, Hardeep Puri said: “You have to decide whether you want Air India to survive or do you want to do that. If Air India has to pack its bags, none of them will find jobs. Today , there is a surplus of aircraft and trained personnel available. “
The minister was justifying Air India’s decision to send certain employees on unpaid leave for up to five years.
Air India had said its financial situation was very difficult due to the coronavirus pandemic and that its unpaid leave program for employees was a “win-win” for them as well as for management.
Travel restrictions in India and other countries to fight COVID-19 have hit airlines hard not only in the country but around the world. All airlines in India have taken cost cutting measures such as pay cuts, unpaid time off and downsizing the workforce.
