Aviation minister justifies Air India furlough while pilots' union opposes

Union claims while pay cut for crew is 60%, It is only 3.5% for senior management; Aviation minister Puri says if airlinw shuts down, none of the employees will get a job

Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri today justified state-owned airline Air India's decision to send some employees on leave-without-pay for up to five years.

"Equity infusion of Rs 500-600 crore every year is not a sustainable thing to run an airline now. Everybody has to cut costs. That is what is happening here," Puri said.

However, Air India pilots have opposed the move by the airline to send some employees on furlough and slash their wages by 60 per cent. Air India’s pilots union Indian Commercial Pilots Association (ICPA) has said that while the cut for crew is 60 per