Kingfisher airlines unlikely to lift partial lockout

Beleaguered Kingfisher Airlines is unlikely to lift the partial lockout it announced on Monday and resume operations from Friday as the talks between the management as well as the striking pilots and engineers here failed to bring out any tangible result.

Government sources said that Kingfisher had already conveyed to its staff and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) that it would not be able to resume operations for at least the next few days. The management reportedly offered the March salary to the employees and promised to pay the remaining six months salary once the airline was recapitalized.

However, the employees turned down this offer and decided to continue the strike till all their arrears were paid.

The employees, in a statement, said the talks ended in a failure as there was no commitment made by the management for payment of overdue salaries. “The employees demanded payment of long pending salary prior to resuming operations. All employees expressed their keenness to resume work provided their dues are cleared expeditiously,’’ the statement said.

(The Hindu)