Monday, Apr 28, 2003
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By Arunkumar Bhatt
Children covering their faces as they pass by a hospital in Kolkata on Sunday where the city's first SARS victim was admitted. — AP
The trouble began two days ago when the IPG directed its members not to operate the flights unless the management certified that the cabin crew onboard had not been to the SARS-affected sectors in the past ten days. The AI spokesman, Jitendra Bhargav, who announced more suspensions said the action was taken under Clause 21 (1) (A) of the Certified Standing Orders in view of the pilots' refusal to operate flight. The airline which is operating all its six flights bound for western Europe and the United States, has chalked out a contingency plan "to ensure stability of the flight schedule" assuming that the `unionised' pilots are not on its rolls. The new schedule not only uses the services of 159 executive pilots but also those of five pilots who retired 30 to 60 days ago but are medically fit and hold valid licences. The spokesman said the Director-General of Civil Aviation had allowed the airline to increase the pilots' duty hours from nine to 10 hours. But this would not jeopardise the passenger safety for the pilots would get the prescribed rest hours. The new schedule that would come into effect from tomorrow morning provides for 100 per cent maintenance of the West-bound flights to destinations such as London, Paris, New York, Newark and Chicago — using Boeing 747 aircraft for which the executive pilots are licensed. The majority of the agitating pilots fly Airbus 310 aircraft and their non-availability would reduce the flights to the Gulf and South East Asia to the extent of 25 per cent. These passengers would be transferred to Indian Airlines wherever the sister airline is flying or to other airlines. The airline will use all means of communication to inform the passengers about the changes. Details of the flight can be had by calling telephone no. 9892230010. Govt. warning Vinay Kumar reports from New Delhi: Meanwhile, the Government has hardened its stance asking the pilots to withdraw their stir unconditionally and warned that action would be taken against all those who refuse to fly. "The Government is determined that the striking pilots withdraw their instructions unconditionally and resume flying," the Civil Aviation Secretary and chairman of the AI Board, K. Roy Paul, said here. The Government had asked the IPG to withdraw its "unlawful, illogical and irrational" directive to its members, he said adding that the demands would be considered only after the pilots ended their strike. Meanwhile, Indian Airlines has stepped in to lift stranded AI passengers in the Gulf sector by operating additional flights. India's domestic carrier is operating all its scheduled flights to SARS-hit Singapore from Delhi, Chennai and Bangalore. On a request from AI, the domestic carrier operated an additional flight yesterday on the Delhi-Dubai-Delhi sector to clear the 142 stranded AI passengers.
Fernandes, team screened PTI reported that Defence Minister George Fernandes and the official delegation which returned here tonight after a week-long visit to China were screened at the Indira Gandhi International Airport for SARS. Although reporters were not allowed inside the VIP lounge at the airport, Fernandes told them later he was screened for SARS. He said he was also checked for SARS at Shanghai before leaving for India.
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