New Delhi/Mumbai: Debt-ridden Kingfisher Airlines, which has stopped operations following a flash strike by a section of its employees, yesterday told the aviation regulator it expected flights to restart after it settled employees’ dues in the next few days.
The announcement was made by Kingfisher’s chief executive Sanjay Agarwal who was summoned here by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to give a status report on the airline’s functioning.
“We will clear the pending salaries in the next few days. We have shared the steps we are going to take in the next few days with the DGCA,” Agarwal told reporters here after the meeting.
The debt-ridden airline was virtually grounded on Monday as the passenger carrier had to cancel all its 50 flights after a section of its employees went on a flash strike Sunday demanding payment of their dues, pending since March, by October 5.
Key personnel like aircraft maintenance engineers, whose aircraft airworthiness clearance is mandatory for any flight to take off, also struck work. The employees claim that non-payment of salaries has affected their morale and built up stress levels that can also affect operational safety.
This prompted Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh’s decision that certified engineers would inspect whether the airline was adhering to DGCA’s safety norms.
Ajit Singh said Monday that the carrier would not be allowed to fly if it failed safety tests.
IANS
