Air India needs three days to clear backlog

New Delhi, May 27: Air India on Thursday, May 27 said up it needs up to three days to clear a backlog of passengers caused by a strike of ground and maintenance staff .

Meanwhile ,the two-day strike by at least 15,000 employees was called off on Wednesday, May26 evening after the Delhi High Court gave an order saying the action was illegal.

“It may take up to two and half to three days for Air India to clear the backlog of passengers and return to normal service," said Air India chairman and managing director Arvind Jadhav.

Mr Jadhav also added, “Nearly 13,000 passengers were affected due to the strike while 4,000 to 5,000 passengers were stranded, including 600 in Singapore,".

More than 140 flights, both domestic and international, were either canceled or diverted in the two days of strike. Air India Management meanwhile, launched a massive crackdown on the unions and several of their leaders were sent letters of termination while others were suspended according to a newspapers report.

Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel said the unions had gone a bit too far and management had been given a free hand to deal with them.

The cash-strapped national carrier who is already running in lose has been given 168 million dollars by the government as part of a bail-out package so far but with such strikes will only hamper the rebuilding work which is taking place.

OneIndia News