Air operations to take hit due to AAI employees strike

Bangalore, Mar 11 (UNI) With no immediate solution in sight the operations in 127 Indian Airports is likely to be hit badly from midnight tonight following the strike call given by Airport Authority Employees Forum protesting closure of existing airports in Bangalore and Hyderabad.

Over 17,000 employees are taking part in the strike and flight operation is expected to be severely affected.

However, in Bangalore officials said the impact of the strike would be minimal.

AAI Director Narendra Kaushal said the ATC, fire brigade and some other facilities was handled by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd which owned the airport. "There won't be much problem as HAL is in charge of the airport," he said.

AAI Employees Forum local unit Secretary Stanly Sampath Kumar said the 101 employees in the city will go ahead with the 'non-cooperation' movement tonight.

"Flights coming from other parts of the country will be badly affected during the strike," he said.

Under the concessional agreement between private promoters and the Union government, the old airports -- HAL and Begumpet will not operate once the greenfield airports start operations in Bangalore and Hyderabad this month.

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