Wednesday, March 12, 2008 (Kolkata, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Delhi)

The indefinite strike called by thousands of employees of the Airports Authority of India has failed to have the desired effect. Domestic and international flights from the four main metros have not been disrupted at all.''Flight movement was smooth here,'' a senior official at Delhi airport said as the indefinite agitation by Airport Authority of India Employees Joint Forum began at midnight on Tuesday to protest the closure of airports in Bangalore and Hyderabad.The Forum claimed about 14,000 employees are on ''indefinite non-cooperation movement'' since midnight affecting operations at 127 airports.Airport unions are holding talks with the civil aviation minister on Wednesday to reach a compromise.Flight operations in Delhi remained normal with airlines operating services on time. Over 250 flights arrived and 125 departed from Delhi airport till Wednesday evening.The striking workers mainly maintenance and housekeeping staff are demanding among other things that the existing Bangalore and Hyderabad airports be allowed to continue operations even after new international airports built for the two cities come into operation.''If any passenger is facing a problem, I apologize,'' said Harpal Singh, President, AAEU. But the apology was not needed.Flights on scheduleEven in Left-ruled West Bengal where the strike was expected to have the worst impact, just three flights were delayed, and by afternoon everything was normal except for cleanliness problems.''The flight was fine but when we landed there was no trolleys, it was also very dirty inside the airport unlike Lucknow airport which was very clean,'' said a passenger in Kolkata.There was hardly any impact even at the epicentres of the crisis, the Bangalore and Hyderabad airports, which will be closed down in three days. It was this announcement that forced the Unions to launch their non-co-operation movement.''It's only the class three and four employees, that's why it hasn't made much of a difference,'' said another passenger in Hyderabad.''I wasn't affected at all, flights were on time and all services were in place,'' an air traveller said.Meanwhile, the Bangalore International Airport Ltd has said the new airport will open on March 30 as scheduled contrary to reports.In Chennai, flights operations were normal at both the domestic and international airports on Wednesday morning.Flights from Chennai to Delhi, Port Blair, Kolkata, Bangalore and Coimbatore left on schedule. International flights to the Gulf and Britain took off on time, officials said.A Coimbatore report said the agitation has had little impact on the flight schedule.International flightsIn Kerala's Thiruvanathapuram, a section of employees have not joined work but airport sources said it had not affected the flight operations.Flight operations at the Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL) at Nedumbassery were also not affected.International flights operated by various airlines like Kuwait Airways, Indian, Gulf Air, Air India Express and Oman Airways arrived on time, airport officials said.Airports had taken emergency measures, bringing in more personnel and increasing security, which helped on day one.The government has deployed 479 Air Force personnel in 21 key airports across the country and invoked ESMA at the Delhi airport in the wake of the strike call.Demonstration stagedHowever, the workers believe their indefinite strike will eventually force the government's hand.''We will not stop our strike at any cost. We have been betrayed by the government,'' said a Union striker.The employees staged a demonstration in front of arrival terminal of the Delhi airport shouting anti-government slogans and said they will not handle ground services until airport management looks into their demands.About 2,000 workers at the Mumbai airport have not reported for work since the strike began but it did not affect the operations, officials said.So far talks have failed but sooner or later the government has to find a way out or passengers could suffer.