About 50 Air India pilots have resigned due to non-payment of allowances and delay

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in payment of their salaries this year, Civil Aviation Minister Vayalar Ravi said today.

"In 2011, 34 pilots of erstwhile Indian Airlines and 15 of the erstwhile Air India have submitted their resignations," Ravi said in response to a question in the Lok Sabha.

He said that most of the pilots have cited non-payment of allowances and delay in payment of salaries as reason for resignation.

The cash-strapped national carrier has suffered a loss of Rs 20,192.03 crore since 2007-08 to 2010-11. The airline has failed to give salary and productivity linked incentives to its 30,000 employees on time.

At present, the management owes one month salary and two month's PLI of the pilots and other employees. Pilots even went on nine-day strike in May this year to protest against the alleged mismanagement.

In response to another query, Ravi said that 3,337 passengers have travelled under the Air India's "companion scheme", which allows a business class passengers to take their spouse or child along with them.

He said the scheme was valid for sale and travel upto March 31, 2012 after which it would be reviewed and a suitable decision would be taken on extension of the validity of the scheme.

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