Air India stops negotiation adopts new strategy - Page 5

tolip111111 · 3rd Jul 2012, 06:29

Mumbai: While the debt ridden Air India is already struggling to stay afloat, its own employees seem to be dragging down the image of the beleaguered carrier further. The new problem for the airlines comes in the form of its senior-most pilots undergoing training to manoeuvre the Boeing 787 aircraft at Singapore last week. The pilots, worried that they might not be able to clear the programme, allegedly tried to hack into the training module prepared by the aircraft manufacturer.

Boeing later complained to the airline that its pilots were engaging in such illegal activities. "Some of the pilots were found guilty of hacking into the training module prepared by Boeing. After Boeing brought this matter to the notice of Air India, the airlines sent a GM rank official to iron out the issue with the aircraft manufacturer," said a top Air India source.

The pilots hacked into the programme after two pilots who were sent for it earlier reportedly failed. Boeing Alteon, the aircraft manufacturer's training division, had prepared two different training modules for Air India pilots - one for those who have experience with Boeing aircraft, and another for those who have experience with Airbus.

While Boeing pilots train for 15 days, Airbus pilots undergo training for 45 days. "The pilots who have failed have experience with Airbus aircraft," the source further added.

Air India CMD Rohit Nandan said, "I am not aware of any such thing, so I would not be able to comment." Despite repeated attempts, Boeing officials could not be reached for comment.

27
The number of Boeing 787 dreamliners that were ordered by Air India, one of which was recently inducted in the fleet

Bone of contention
Boeing 787 has been the source of great friction between two pilot groups in Air India. The Indian Pilots Guild (IPG) of erstwhile Air India operate Boeing aircraft, while Indian Commercial Pilots Association (ICPA) comprising erstwhile Indian Airlines pilots mostly operate Airbus fleet. These two groups have long been at loggerheads over training for 787. While IPG members want to be the sole groups of pilots with know-how on flying Boeing, ICPA members wanted an equal share in training. The Air India management later decided to send an equal number of pilots from both the groups for training on 787.

Air India pilots tried to cheat during Boeing 787 training: Report | NDTV.com

captjns · 3rd Jul 2012, 13:23

What would you expect from little brats without manners

??? ethical behavior?

EladElap · 3rd Jul 2012, 17:01

Wow, you girls sure showed them hey... Strike for months over who cracks the nod for the dreamliner, and then go back to work because "Management would be SYMPATHETIC to your grievances!" I have even less respect for you guys than I had when you started your illegal strike. Secretly I did hope that when you did rock up for work eventually , your national carrier that is BILLIONS in debt, would have closed doors...

Quote:

Pilots of national carrier Air India are set to call off their strike after almost two months, the high court in the capital, Delhi, has been told.

The pilots told the court that they would return to work within 48 hours.

More than 400 pilots have been on strike in a dispute over training to fly the Boeing 787 Dreamliner plane.

Dozens of flights have been cancelled because of the strike, which has entered its 58th day. Reports say the strike has cost more than £100m.

The airline has already sacked 101 pilots and the High Court had earlier ruled the protest illegal.

Reports say the pilots decided to call off their strike after the Air India management told the court that it would consider the demands of the pilots "sympathetically".

"The Air India management shall sympathetically consider the grievances of the pilots including the aspect of reinstatement of those pilots who were terminated as a consequence to their strike," Justice Reva Khetrapal said

The pilots told Justice Khetrapal through their legal representative that they will return to duty in 48 hours, reports say.

The pilots have been protesting against a decision to train pilots from Indian Airlines, which merged with Air India in 2007, to fly the Dreamliners.

Air India pilots say that as the planes were ordered before the merger, they should be given priority for training.

The airline is severely in debt - earlier this year the government approved a debt-restructuring plan worth nearly $6bn (£3.8bn).

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