Jet Airways pilots back striking Air India counterparts

Backing their protesting Air India counterparts, the pilots' body of Jet Airways today called for an immediate reinstatement of those sacked and appealed to Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh to intervene and get the issue resolved at the earliest.

"We are calling for immediate reinstatement of our IPG colleagues and negotiations in good faith between the management, IPG and ICPA in the hope of reaching an agreement which is acceptable to all parties," the Society for Welfare of Indian Pilots (SWIP) said.

The pilots' body also blamed the "failed" merger of the Air India and the erstwhile Indian Airlines. "We are deeply concerned by the recent events which are causing inconvenience to the traveling public. It must be recognized and acknowledged that the present state of affairs is the result of an obviously failing merger process of two distinct entities (AI/IA)," it said.

An airline involved in the transportation of human lives can ill afford its most critical employees, the pilots, to be in a mental state of stress and anxiety, it said.

"Massive operational losses leading to non-payment of their remuneration for months on end has further exacerbated their mental agony as well as affecting their families," it said.