At least 11 AI flights cancelled as pilots stay away from work

At least 11 flights of Air India were cancelled on Saturday as a section of its pilots did not report to work to protest reduction in their productivity-linked incentives.

At least 11 flights of Air India were cancelled on Saturday as a section of its pilots did not report to work to protest reduction in their productivity-linked incentives.

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Besides a Kabul-bound international flight from New Delhi, seven domestic flights to Mumbai, Lucknow, Aurangabad, Pune, Chennai, Srinagar and Indore-Bhopal were cancelled.

In Chennai, two international flights to Colombo and Sharjah and one domestic flight to Madurai were cancelled due to the agitation by Executive pilots.

In Kolkata, a flight to Aizwal was cancelled as the pilot reported sick.

However, Air India spokesperson Jitendra Bhargava claimed that flight operations were largely unaffected by the agitation. "Only 11 flights have been cancelled whereas all other flights have taken off since morning," he said.

It was not clear as to how many pilots had not reported for duty as there were claims and counter-claims.

While Bhargava said that only 11 pilots had not reported for duty, representative of Executive pilots Captain RK Bhalla said that the number of absentee pilots was much higher.

Bhargava said the agitating pilots were expected to meet the Air India management tomorrow in Mumbai to discuss their demands.