Amid fresh hurdle in operation of cash beleaguered Kingfisher Airlines, there is lockout which extended to Oct 12 and DGCA civil aviation regulator is to issue legal show cause notice in way of cancelling its flying licence.
The move came after no result out from KFA meeting with agitator engineers and pilots who are on strike over non-payment of their salaries for last seven months. Reports that KFA is not able to make payment to its employees and due to staff absence, airline hit out its fleet with a death to end on Friday.
“The (Kingfisher) management has declared a lockout. DGCA is looking into legal issues and intends to issue a show-cause notice on suspension or cancellation of license. He (DGCA chief) has gone ahead with the notice,” Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh said as per source.
“There are a lot of factors involved … the salaries of the employees and other issues. If the employees are disgruntled, there is an issue of safety,” minister said, adding both the finances as well as the social factors would be considered before taking any decision in favour of KFA.
In Delhi and Mumbai, angry agitated pilots, engineers and technicians protested against Vijay Mallya and his airline before KFA’s office on Friday, wearing black bands shouting slogans and demanding immediate payment of their pending salaries.
Major reason for their aggressive protest was death of KFA’s employee’s wife committed suicide on Thursday in New Delhi, due to financial problems.
Meanwhile, there is no calm on critical situation of airline, even more depressed as just operating 10 flights of 64 before a year. As reported by the Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA), the chances of KFA to shut down operations are high if $600 million is not infused in it in the next two months.