Employees' strike to hit flight operations

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

Over 17,000 employees were expected to take part in the strike.

However, officials here said the impact would be minimal.

AAI Director Narendra Kaushal said the ATC, fire brigade and some other facilities were 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 101 employees in the city would go ahead with the 'non-cooperation' plan.

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

Under the concessional agreement between private promoters and the Centre, the old airports -- HAL and Begumpet -- would cease operations once the greenfield airports start operations.

UNI RS MSP GL BD2152