Air traffic controller' agitation may ground all flights

Air traffic is likely to be completely thrown out of gear from Tuesday, April 1, with air traffic controllers deciding that they would not be in the employment of the Airports Authority of India.

The Air Traffic Controllers Guild, in a statement, said after Monday, all controllers, who will be in the employment of the AAI would be devoid of any legal authority to provide air traffic services.

''Due to the above two reasons, air traffic services in India will be severely disrupted. The AAI has decided to hand over control to untrained, unrated airforce officers, thus exposing civil aviation in India to great hazards and danger,'' Guild General Secretary Brijendra Shekhar said.

Employees of the erstwhile International Airports Authority of India and the National Airports Authority had been given time till this month-end to decide on accepting the terms and conditions offered by the AAI management. They were asked to either agree or opt out.

At a recent meeting with Civil Aviation Minister C M Ibrahim, the Guild had said that the controllers could not use the option of remaining within the AAI because it would mean accepting the very terms and conditions which they were opposed to.

They would have to opt out of the AAI which would take away the authority vested in the controllers.

The controllers said they would function from Tuesday only if the government gave fresh authorisation by creating a separate setup through an executive order.

Member officers of the ATC Guild (India) have indicated their willingness through the ATC Guild to the civil aviation minister to continue providing air traffic services in any independent setup outside AAI to ensure legal authority to provide services.

UNI