Will go to any extent if victimised say Pilots’ Association to Air India

New Delhi, Feb 13: The pilots' union of state-run carrier Air India said they would go on a strike if the management "victimised" any pilot over not following changes in the duty roster system due to non-payment of flying allowance.

"It has been hereby resolved by the CEC (Central Executive Committee) that if any pilot is victimised by the management, the CEC will go to any extent to safeguard the pilot, including strikes," the Indian Commercial Pilots' Association (ICPA) said in a statement.

The ICPA represents pilots who fly narrow-body aircraft of Air India.

"Complete financial protection along with legal support will be provided by the ICPA on central level," it said.

The Indian Pilots' Guild (IPG) is the union of pilots who fly wide-body aircraft of the debt-hit airline.

On February 10, both unions told the airline that since they had not received flying allowance, they had decided not to accept "changes in the (duty) roster and will maintain the CMS (crew management system) printed roster already issued for the month of February".

The flying allowance, which is around 70 per cent of the total pay package, is paid to a pilot on the basis of the number of flight hours he or she has clocked in a month.

Both unions had said on February 10 that the pilots were working under "stressful conditions" that had "direct implications on flight safety".