Weeks after asking for to vaccinate their employees, Air India Airbus’ pilots’ union, the Indian Commercial Pilots Guild (ICPA) have now asked the national carrier to vaccinate the dependent family members of the employees. As per a Hindustan Times report, the pilots' union has written a letter to the national carrier on June 1 asking to vaccinate the dependents.
In the letter, the union wrote, “Factoring in the government policy, we request the partisans who made vaccination for flying crew possible to extend the privilege of vaccinating the dependent family members of the flying crew. Limiting vaccination against Covid-19 only to employees is not going to help the process."
A pilot notified, “Pilots are being quarantined, testing positive, and succumbing to Covid at an alarming frequency. Even the immediate family members are suffering and succumbing to this deadly virus."
Further the letter mentioned that the pilots fear infecting their family members on returning home after operating Vande Bharat Mission (VBM) flights.
“With this backdrop, we need support from the company to keep performing our duties and keep our families safe,” the letter stated.
To be noted, Air India lost five of its pilots to COVID-19 last month. The airline began vaccinating its pilots on May 15.
National carrier Air India earlier this month had announced that it wil inoculate all its employees by the end of May. The decision was taken after the pilots of Air India had threatened strike if pan-India vaccination camps are not held for them. In a letter to the management, the staff had questioned why they were excluded from the vaccination camps for 18-45-year age group held by the management.
The pilots in their letter had alleged they feel "let down by the self-serving approach" of the management which only handed them "a massive discriminatory pay cut" in return for their services.
Despite the COVID-19 outbreak, Air India has been operating flights since the lockdown was partially lifted last year, bringing in Indian nationals stranded abroad during the pandemic. The airlined has also ferried supplies of medication and hospital equipment, including PPE kits and other items -- to remote corners of the country.