Mallya appeals to striking pilots to work together

Kingfisher Airlines chief, chairman Vijay Mallya today appealing in a letter to the carrier's striking pilots called on them to "work together to restore Kingfisher to its rightful place in the Aviation industry".

"I really hope that good sense will prevail. I am doing my best. If some of you think that cancelling flights, speaking to media, or disgracing our company will produce cash and salaries, you are wrong. This only makes my recapitalisation efforts more difficult by causing concern and apprehension among our potential investors," Mallya wrote.

"One of the main reasons that has motivated me into investing more money to keep Kingfisher flying is that I see light ahead," the letter said

A section of debt-ridden airlines' pilots struck work over non-payment of salaries and other dues for the past five months, that led to cancellation of 40 flights across its network, according to an airline official.

Among the flights cancelled are 12 from New Delhi, six from Mumbai and three from Bangalore while a number of flights from Chennai, Chandigarh, Dehradun and Dharamsala have also been cancelled.

"A certain section of employees have decided to stay away from duty due to salary payments not being credited to the bank accounts of all employees. Kingfisher wishes to state that more than 75 per cent of employees have actually received their promised salaries Friday," agencies reported an airline official as saying.