Mumbai, Nov 19: To bring about synergy between the two airlines, Air-India and Indian Airlines have signed an agreement under which the domestic carrier will handle all security-related functions for all international flights at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport. Similarily, the international carrier is to shortly handle all security functions at Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji international airport. This concept is to be gradually extended to other international airports in the country as per a decision taken last week by the Civil Aviation Ministry, A-I said in a release here today. The agreement was signed after all the manpower-related concerns, expressed by the Air-India employees guild following a strike threat in the wake of this decision, were jointly addressed by the management teams of both the airlines at a meeting in Delhi yesterday.

The release said all A-I employees, currently engaged in security functions at Delhi airport, would be seconded to IA by the international carrier for security related work.


This, A-I said would eliminate any chance of dislocation of A-I employees following the ministry's decision to entrust handling of security functions to IA at Delhi airport.


An A-I spokesman said all emoluments and perquisites of its employees would be protected. Likewise, A-I would be the single agency for security functions at Mumbai airport, he added.


Bureau Report