Hyd, B'lore old airports to remain operational

SMOOTH FLIGHT: The AAI employees' strike didn't have much impact in the domestic operations.

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New Delhi: The Centre on Wednesday announced that the old airports at Hyderabad and Bangalore will continue to remain operational even after the new airports start functioning.

Making a statement in Parliament, Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel said: "The existing airports at Hyderabad and Bangalore would continue to remain operational for general aviation, defence purposes, national emergencies etc. Further, the interests of the AAI employees at these airports will be fully protected."

The Airport Authority Employees Joint Forum, however, received the announcement with skepticism. "Praful Patel is not clear whether commercial operations at old airports will continue or not. The strike is on for now," AAEJF convenor MK Ghoshal said.

Some 14,000 AAI employees had launched an 'indefinite non-cooperation movement' since Tuesday midnight affecting operations at 127 airports to protest the closure of airports in Bangalore and Hyderabad.

The strike, however, didn't have much impact in the domestic operations and flight operations were normal in most airports. However, airport services were hit in some parts.

In Kolkata, flights took off on schedule but passengers complained of dirty toilets, non-availability of trolleys and hitches at conveyor belts at baggage screening points.

"We were apprehensive that it will be chaotic but surprisingly everything was smooth," said A Srivastva, passenger who arrived in Delhi from Mumbai. There were no reports of flight delays from major airports. The government has deployed 479 Air Force personnel in 21 key airports across the country and invoked ESMA at the Delhi airport in the wake of the strike call.

Flight operations in the national capital remained normal with airlines operating services on time. Over 250 flights arrived and 125 departed from Delhi airport till evening.

The employees staged a demonstration in front of arrival terminal of the Delhi airport shouting anti-government slogans and said they will not handle ground services until airport management looks into their demands.

About 2,000 workers at the Mumbai airport did not report for work since the strike began but it did not affect the operations, officials said.