Air India Pilots refuse to operate flights due to SARS
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Northern Hemisphere
Posts: 87
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Protesting Pilots
Well it all seems to have been an example of poor management, poor communication and displayed the lack of expertise we have at senior (ministerial and bureaucratic levels). Even the few professional advisers who are in the management are apprehensive of giving proper advice for fear of their jobs. as I had mentioned earlier in my post the government and management instead of wasting time fighting the pilots should have concentrated on "the why" of the agitation and solve that and later it could have handled the IPG. This still doesnt seem to have happened- recent pax from SARS hit countries enter freely into India with some minor formalities. SARS patients are treated like Pariahs, not enough is done to educate the public and we still haven't understood the sequence of actions to be taken to prevent an endemic situation from arising.....
Also as pointed out in my earlier post it would be more appropriate in withdrawing the "license raj" in toto- rather than saying only Jet Airways or Sahara because any such restriction would cause further problems like "buying" the licenses etc. So a policy cannot be suited to only a few players but must include all who fullfill the professional criteria.
Also as pointed out in my earlier post it would be more appropriate in withdrawing the "license raj" in toto- rather than saying only Jet Airways or Sahara because any such restriction would cause further problems like "buying" the licenses etc. So a policy cannot be suited to only a few players but must include all who fullfill the professional criteria.
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: FL600
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Politics , politics . Where & when will it all end ??!! Now its a big battle between the labour minister who wants to take all the credit for the pilots calling of the strike & the aviation minister.He feels that the pilots should have consulted him & not the labour minister before they decided to call the strike off . Now because of this some poor pilots who had no choice but to follow the directive will pay a heavy price while the main instigators will get away relatively scot free . I hope not !!!!
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: ME
Posts: 5,502
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
All of this started because the IPG were concerned about flying with crews who had operated to Singapore, the following is taken from the Cabin Crew forum and shows the risks which were involved..............
The Australian Newspaper
Qantas employee may have SARS
May 03, 2003
A QANTAS flight attendant has been placed in isolation in a Sydney hospital as a probable SARS case, after a flight from Singapore.
Qantas chief executive Geoff Dixon said the attendant became unwell yesterday and was admitted this morning to St Vincent's Hospital, where she was in isolation.
She flew from Singapore to Sydney on Sunday and all passengers and crew on board flight QF 32, which landed on April 27, are being contacted.
"The World Health Organisation has stated that there is no evidence of SARS being transmitted by people who are not presenting symptoms of SARS," Mr Dixon said in a statement.
"As a result of this information, we believe the flight attendant was not infectious when she worked on QF 32 last Sunday.
"Nevertheless, as a precaution we have decided to contact passengers and crew who travelled on that flight and any other Qantas staff who had contact with that flight, to reassure them they should have no health concerns as a result of this case."
The flight attendant had not worked on any flights since April 27, Qantas said.
The airline was continuing to liaise with relevant health authorities, including the World Health Organisation, about the probable case, it said.
Worldwide, severe acute respiratory syndrome has killed more than 400 people, mostly in Asia.
Mutt.
The Australian Newspaper
Qantas employee may have SARS
May 03, 2003
A QANTAS flight attendant has been placed in isolation in a Sydney hospital as a probable SARS case, after a flight from Singapore.
Qantas chief executive Geoff Dixon said the attendant became unwell yesterday and was admitted this morning to St Vincent's Hospital, where she was in isolation.
She flew from Singapore to Sydney on Sunday and all passengers and crew on board flight QF 32, which landed on April 27, are being contacted.
"The World Health Organisation has stated that there is no evidence of SARS being transmitted by people who are not presenting symptoms of SARS," Mr Dixon said in a statement.
"As a result of this information, we believe the flight attendant was not infectious when she worked on QF 32 last Sunday.
"Nevertheless, as a precaution we have decided to contact passengers and crew who travelled on that flight and any other Qantas staff who had contact with that flight, to reassure them they should have no health concerns as a result of this case."
The flight attendant had not worked on any flights since April 27, Qantas said.
The airline was continuing to liaise with relevant health authorities, including the World Health Organisation, about the probable case, it said.
Worldwide, severe acute respiratory syndrome has killed more than 400 people, mostly in Asia.
Mutt.
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: 1° North Parallel
Posts: 67
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
See Guys I have nothing to do with Indian aviation, just passing by the "Rumar and News" i happen to log on to this thread. It was interesting to note the "rsoman' who started the thread says that he is not an aviator but has lot of interest in the AIR INDIA pilots' strike.
He does not know that Saudi authorities had also refused landing permission to one of SQ aircraft coming from Singapore. In singapore as per the latest guidlines of the ministry any one coming to singapore from the SARS effected or listed countries will be quarantined for 10 days.
I know in places like singapore people have no union or labour rights because everything is so well controlled by the government. Contry like india where the people have the right to organise also have the right to protest, I read that this was the way Mr. Gandhi sought the freedome for the country from the british rule. So I find nothing wrong in Indian pilots protesting againt the handling of SARS situation by the Government or the air india itself.
Yes i fail to understand that when these guys were protesting so hard how come suddenly on the assurances of one minister they called of the agitation. Has the SARS hadling situation improved in Air India. I doubt.................................
He does not know that Saudi authorities had also refused landing permission to one of SQ aircraft coming from Singapore. In singapore as per the latest guidlines of the ministry any one coming to singapore from the SARS effected or listed countries will be quarantined for 10 days.
I know in places like singapore people have no union or labour rights because everything is so well controlled by the government. Contry like india where the people have the right to organise also have the right to protest, I read that this was the way Mr. Gandhi sought the freedome for the country from the british rule. So I find nothing wrong in Indian pilots protesting againt the handling of SARS situation by the Government or the air india itself.
Yes i fail to understand that when these guys were protesting so hard how come suddenly on the assurances of one minister they called of the agitation. Has the SARS hadling situation improved in Air India. I doubt.................................
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Chennai (MAA)
Posts: 407
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Twitchy
*****
Yes i fail to understand that when these guys were protesting so hard how come suddenly on the assurances of one minister they called of the agitation. Has the SARS hadling situation improved in Air India. I doubt.................................
******
There in lies your answer! And also the reason why I and the majority of people involved who follow the aviation scene in the country remain convinced that the IPG strike was not motivated by SARS alone.
Yes in countries like India, people have the right to organise and protest. But we (us Indians) also have the tendency in certain occasions to over do the "democracy" bit for our own self interests nowadays.
And as for me, yes I am not an "aviator" in the sense that I am not a flight or cabin crew or even remotely connected to Air India or the government in anyway, but I have been in the industry for many years and also had to deal a lot with the other side of the fence (the many innocent victims of the IPG and the ICPA labour disputes - many of which are staged in a way which would mean instant dismissal in may other countries - wild cat strikes without any accepted labour dispute guidelines). That is all!
Cheers
*****
Yes i fail to understand that when these guys were protesting so hard how come suddenly on the assurances of one minister they called of the agitation. Has the SARS hadling situation improved in Air India. I doubt.................................
******
There in lies your answer! And also the reason why I and the majority of people involved who follow the aviation scene in the country remain convinced that the IPG strike was not motivated by SARS alone.
Yes in countries like India, people have the right to organise and protest. But we (us Indians) also have the tendency in certain occasions to over do the "democracy" bit for our own self interests nowadays.
And as for me, yes I am not an "aviator" in the sense that I am not a flight or cabin crew or even remotely connected to Air India or the government in anyway, but I have been in the industry for many years and also had to deal a lot with the other side of the fence (the many innocent victims of the IPG and the ICPA labour disputes - many of which are staged in a way which would mean instant dismissal in may other countries - wild cat strikes without any accepted labour dispute guidelines). That is all!
Cheers
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Chennai (MAA)
Posts: 407
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Or may be due to SARS, India can stop the Cathay flights to BOM and DEL including the BOM DXB leg the only one which I assume should be having some load factors more than 40% these days!
More effective than the cancellations in the India Dubai sectors on Air India due to the IPG concerns about SARS. After all we cannot add SARS to the list of diseases apparently India is afflicted with courtsey other nations as the IPG says!
More effective than the cancellations in the India Dubai sectors on Air India due to the IPG concerns about SARS. After all we cannot add SARS to the list of diseases apparently India is afflicted with courtsey other nations as the IPG says!
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: 1° North Parallel
Posts: 67
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
TURN AND BURN Country like India has no effect of any desease on its economy. You should see what SARS has done to Hongkong's economy, less said is better. IPG pilots inspite of refusing to fly still have their jobs intact, but how about the guys at CX, they are willing to fly to SARS hit areas but are still worried about their jobs
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: thinkin o movin
Posts: 27
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
rsoman
for a person who is so obviously disgusted by the state of the govt owned airlines in india, the so called hidden agendas of the union and more recently seen the state of the democracy in the country you live in.................have a question for you
What on earth is keeping you there???? And instead of being this very vocal armchair critic.....do enlighten us on your contribution and what have you done for the betterment of your fellow beings?
for a person who is so obviously disgusted by the state of the govt owned airlines in india, the so called hidden agendas of the union and more recently seen the state of the democracy in the country you live in.................have a question for you
What on earth is keeping you there???? And instead of being this very vocal armchair critic.....do enlighten us on your contribution and what have you done for the betterment of your fellow beings?
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Chennai (MAA)
Posts: 407
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Tiba
*****
What on earth is keeping you there???? And instead of being this very vocal armchair critic.....do enlighten us on your contribution and what have you done for the betterment of your fellow beings?
*****
We are in the mess we are in because half the people take the easy way out by the attitude "what on earth is keeping (me) out there".
small drops add on to become an ocean............!
And by the way I am OUT for the time being and what I am seeing where I am in now , it only reinforces my view what I have been saying about things back home(not exactly sitting in the arm chair here by the way!). And I am going back, that is not to say that I am aspiring to be the next Ralph Nader once I reach there but then as I said small drops may make a difference someday (hopefully!)
Cheers!
*****
What on earth is keeping you there???? And instead of being this very vocal armchair critic.....do enlighten us on your contribution and what have you done for the betterment of your fellow beings?
*****
We are in the mess we are in because half the people take the easy way out by the attitude "what on earth is keeping (me) out there".
small drops add on to become an ocean............!
And by the way I am OUT for the time being and what I am seeing where I am in now , it only reinforces my view what I have been saying about things back home(not exactly sitting in the arm chair here by the way!). And I am going back, that is not to say that I am aspiring to be the next Ralph Nader once I reach there but then as I said small drops may make a difference someday (hopefully!)
Cheers!
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: FL600
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Given that tuberculosis is endemic in India, I would have thought that any country that Air India crews refused to fly to would be greatly relieved.
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Rockytop, Tennessee, USA
Posts: 5,898
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
Looks like Air India will try to bust the union and encourage formation of a new one. Something like this happened at SQ about 20 years ago I believe.
__________________________________________
Air-India chargesheets seven of pilots guild
BYAS ANAND
TIMES NEWS NETWORK[ WEDNESDAY, MAY 07, 2003 11:55:45 PM ]
NEW DELHI: Air-India on Wednesday filed chargesheets against seven office-bearers of its erstwhile union Indian Pilots Guild (IPG). The charge: Instigating pilots to strike work and spreading misinformation by saying two pilots were SARS-infected.
This came soon after the Mumbai High Court rejected the IPG petition challenging their suspension and the guild's de-recognition.
The management has, in fact, even sealed the union office. "We are not averse to the pilots now forming a separate union," said an A-I spokesperson. Following the withdrawal of the strike by the IPG, 160 of the 200-member strong erstwhile union have reported for duty while 40 others have refused to sign the undertaking and have not been rostered for flights.
The airline said it is set to restore normal schedules from this week. All A-I flights routed via Delhi to western destinations will operate as per the normal schedule effective Wednesday.
"While all flights to Hong Kong have been suspended till May 31 owing to poor load factors, the Nairobi and Dar-es-Salaam flights would commence May 12,' the spokesperson added.
An additional flight was also put into operation on the Mumbai-Chennai-Singapore sector, taking the total flights on the route to three a week. However, the airline has withdrawn the Kolkata-Guwahati-Bangkok flight till September 14. "The idle aircraft from these sectors would be used for strengthening our operations to the Gulf and the US," the spokesperson said.
A-I will operate eight additional services to the Gulf from June 1, while a new flight would be added on the Mumbai-Paris-New York route. "These will be in addition to the restored flights," he said.
Moving ahead, the airline on Wednesday also sent the first batch of six new pilots to London for specialised training. The pilots would be ready for induction by May-end.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/c...?msid=45699675
__________________________________________
Air-India chargesheets seven of pilots guild
BYAS ANAND
TIMES NEWS NETWORK[ WEDNESDAY, MAY 07, 2003 11:55:45 PM ]
NEW DELHI: Air-India on Wednesday filed chargesheets against seven office-bearers of its erstwhile union Indian Pilots Guild (IPG). The charge: Instigating pilots to strike work and spreading misinformation by saying two pilots were SARS-infected.
This came soon after the Mumbai High Court rejected the IPG petition challenging their suspension and the guild's de-recognition.
The management has, in fact, even sealed the union office. "We are not averse to the pilots now forming a separate union," said an A-I spokesperson. Following the withdrawal of the strike by the IPG, 160 of the 200-member strong erstwhile union have reported for duty while 40 others have refused to sign the undertaking and have not been rostered for flights.
The airline said it is set to restore normal schedules from this week. All A-I flights routed via Delhi to western destinations will operate as per the normal schedule effective Wednesday.
"While all flights to Hong Kong have been suspended till May 31 owing to poor load factors, the Nairobi and Dar-es-Salaam flights would commence May 12,' the spokesperson added.
An additional flight was also put into operation on the Mumbai-Chennai-Singapore sector, taking the total flights on the route to three a week. However, the airline has withdrawn the Kolkata-Guwahati-Bangkok flight till September 14. "The idle aircraft from these sectors would be used for strengthening our operations to the Gulf and the US," the spokesperson said.
A-I will operate eight additional services to the Gulf from June 1, while a new flight would be added on the Mumbai-Paris-New York route. "These will be in addition to the restored flights," he said.
Moving ahead, the airline on Wednesday also sent the first batch of six new pilots to London for specialised training. The pilots would be ready for induction by May-end.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/c...?msid=45699675
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: 1° North Parallel
Posts: 67
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hey Guys
After reading the link given above I feel IPG is going to be finished unless the AI management backtracks. This can happen don't be surprised, management come up and say that it loves its pilots, they are the great assest to the airline etc......
The latest news is that DGCA India is moving papers to allow pilots fly the public transport a/c beyond the age of 60. This is another fallout of the IPG's strike. Anyway old guys happy days are here again. Younger ones so sad will have to wait for another 2 years.
After reading the link given above I feel IPG is going to be finished unless the AI management backtracks. This can happen don't be surprised, management come up and say that it loves its pilots, they are the great assest to the airline etc......
The latest news is that DGCA India is moving papers to allow pilots fly the public transport a/c beyond the age of 60. This is another fallout of the IPG's strike. Anyway old guys happy days are here again. Younger ones so sad will have to wait for another 2 years.
