KFA may resume operations on Oct 4: CEO
The CEO of the cash-strapped Kingfisher Airlines, Sanjay Agarwal, said on Tuesday that flight operations are expected to begin on October 4, soon after his meeting with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) ended.
October 03, 2012 / 08:34 IST
The CEO of the cash-strapped Kingfisher Airlines, Sanjay Agarwal, said on Tuesday that flight operations are expected to begin on October 4, soon after his meeting with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) ended. Speaking to reporters, Agarwal said that the company will first discuss the matter with its employees and then take a decision.
The CEO further said that salaries of half the 4000 employees had been paid for the month of March and that negotiations were on with banks and tax authorities to ensure that the remaining employees got their salaries over the next four months. Agarwal added that the company will look into claims that some employees were not allowing others to resume duties. "Fifty per cent of the employees have received the salary for the month of March. There are people who want to come to work. But there are others who are not letting others join work. That has to be looked into," he said. He added that the company will look into claims that some employees were not allowing others to resume duties. "Fifty per cent of the employees have received the salary for the month of March. There are people who want to come to work. But there are others who are not letting others join work. That has to be looked into," he said.He added that the company will look into claims that some employees were not allowing others to resume duties. "Fifty per cent of the employees have received the salary for the month of March. There are people who want to come to work. But there are others who are not letting others join work. That has to be looked into," he said. After meeting the DGCA, CEO Sanjay Agarwal said that the company will first discuss the matter with its employees. Earlier in the day, Aviation Minister Ajit Singh reiterated that that Kingfisher will not be allowed to operate flights until its engineers report back to work and they certify on the flights' safety. "Passenger safety cannot be compromised. The DGCA is talking to them today. They will send a report and a decision will be taken after that," he said. Agarwal was summoned by the DGCA after all of Kingfisher Airlines flights were cancelled on Monday after its pilots and engineers refused to report to work over non-payment of salaries since March this year. Kingfisher Airlines was forced to declare a temporary lockout of its operations till October 4 on Monday evening. The decision of the airlines came few hours after Ajit Singh warned that the company will not be allowed to fly if safety norms were flouted. The Aviation Minister categorically clarified that no Kingfisher flights would take off till the engineers certified on the safety of aircraft. Reiterating passenger safety was the foremost concern, Singh said that the Vijay Mallya-promoted Kingfisher Airlines can be shut down if safety concerns arise. "We can't allow them to fly until their aircraft is certified. Their engineers (who are on strike) are not certifying the aircraft. They can get the planes certified by other certified engineers also," he said. "If they are not paying somebody, they (protesters) have the option to leave or take the necessary industrial action," Singh added.The Kingfisher management has, meanwhile, threatened to take legal action against the striking workers if they don't resume their duties. Over 50 Kingfisher Airlines flights from major cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Bangalore were cancelled on Monday. Heated exchanges took place between the passengers and Kingfisher staff at several airports, including Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai. The airline in a statement said that it was taking all possible measures to lessen the impact of the employee strike. It accused those protesting of violence, criminal intimidation and assault and said their actions were unnecessary and unprovoked. Discover the latest Business News, Sensex, and Nifty updates. Obtain Personal Finance insights, tax queries, and expert opinions on Moneycontrol or download the Moneycontrol App to stay updated!
