New Delhi: Austerity measures taken by MPs and
ministers have come in for questioning with Air India Pilots'
Association complaining that a number of them buy Economy
Class tickets but later push for upgrade to Business Class,
even sometimes "forcefully" occupying such seats.
Without naming anybody, the Association's General
Secretary R S Otaal today wrote to Air India
Chairman-cum-Managing Director Arvind Jadhav, saying the
pilots, cabin crew and other staff are forced to accept the
directives of the ministers and MPs.
"Though Ministers and MPs book their ticket in the
economy class but they insist for an upgrade after boarding
the aircraft. Also sometimes they (MPs and Ministers)
forcefully occupy the seat in 'J' (business) class," Otaal
said in the letter.
"Since they are in power, our cabin crew and commercial
staffs are helpless as any resistance could lead to awkward
situation," he said.
Otaal also said since the pilots are "under pressure" of
maintaining on-time performance and to avoid any agitation "we
have accept their request".
He asked the CMD to not to take action against any of the
cabin crew, the pilots or the commercial staffs, if they
"succumb to the pressure of the Ministers and MPs".
Under the government's austerity drive, ministers and
MPs have been advised to travel in Economy class.
Bureau Report
First Published: Thursday, October 08, 2009, 00:08