Patel says airports to remain open

Existing Hyderabad, Bangalore airports to keep running for general use, defence .

Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel today asked the employees of the Airports Authority of India (AAI) to resume work saying the existing airports at Hyderabad and Bangalore would continue to remain operational for general aviation (corporate and business jets), defence purposes and national emergencies.

However, the airports would not be open for commercial operations, he said, adding the "interests of the AAI employees at these airports will be fully protected."

The employees are on strike against the proposed closure of the two airports once the private greenfield facilities start functioning.

All reserved activities such as security, immigration, Customs and air-traffic control would continue to be under government control, Patel told Parliament.

Patel's statement is a change from the government's earlier stand that the two airports would be closed for aviation operations.

However, Patel's offer has been rejected by the employees' union. "The agitation will continue. The government's earlier assurances did not materialise. We would like to sit across the table and sort out the matter," said union leader Dilip Gurjar.

The Centre has invoked the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) to thwart any full-fledged strike that the current non-cooperation may lead to.

"Flight operations have remained normal and there is by and large no impact on air traffic services at the airports," said an AAI spokesperson.

There were reports from Hyderabad (220 air traffic movements daily), Kolkata and Bangalore (300 movements and 28,000 passengers daily) that housekeeping services and baggage-handling services had been mismanaged.

"The impact of the strike was visible on the housekeeping services at the airport, though we managed the baggage handling services well," said an official of Hyderabad airport.

Bangalore airport reported a minor disruption but 90 per cent functioning was normal, said Director N Kaushal. The two other Metro airports at Delhi and Mumbai, which are run by private airport operators, handled the situation with ease.

"Flight movement was smooth here," said a senior official at Delhi airport as the indefinite agitation by Airports Authority of India Employees Joint Forum began at midnight.

The forum claimed about 14,000 employees were on "indefinite non-cooperation movement" since the midnight of March 12, affecting operations at 127 airports.

About 2,000 workers at Mumbai airport did not report for work since the strike began but it had not affected operations, officials said.

Left parties seek free run for striking airport staff