Raising the issue in Rajya Sabha during Zero Hour, Vasanthi Stanley (DMK) said the suffering of the public due to the Air India pilots' strike is increasing, as over 50 international flights to the United States and Europe and other destinations have been cancelled ever since its pilots suddenly reported sick.
"Government, without any notice to public, has cancelled international flights causing great inconvenience to passengers," she said.
Citing examples of frustration of harassed passengers, she said, angry passengers in Mumbai tried to block roads outside the International Airport.
She said no alternative arrangements were being made for passengers whose flights were cancelled and neither was any proper information provided to them. "Passengers have been made to suffer and fend for themselves," she said.
The DMK member said pilots were sacked without serving any notice and demanded they they be heard and their demands considered. "It is surprising that though pilots are ready for talks, the management sacked them," she said.
She alleged that all this happened as there is disparity among pilots after the merger of Air India and Indian Airlines and said, "no unilateral decision be forced on employees".
She sought to know as to what the Government was doing to end the strike and demanded that it considers the demands of pilots and end the strike in view of the harassment of passengers.
Members from the Left and some from Congress also demanded end to the pilots' strike.
