It appears that the pilots who grounded the State-run Air India, thereby inconveniencing thousands, were indeed in the wrong. Understandably, passengers were furious with the pilots who are perceived to be ‘overpaid’ but ‘underworked’. Thus, after the strike, the pilots of Air India came to be branded as villains.

Yes, the pilots’ actions were myopic and unwise. But was it all one-way traffic? What was the reason for the Air India management to propose a pay cut for executive pilots, leaving out the line and foreign pilots? And why was the proposal announced during the festive season?

Though the strike has been called off, the damage has already been done. A suggestion to ‘privatize Air India’ is reportedly doing the rounds. Instead of wasting precious time and effort and throwing more money into the State-owned Air India, the government should privatize the airline, or so goes the logic. The airline, some are suggesting, will have a fighting chance under a private management.

The idea is an old one. But whom should Air India be sold to? Among the foreign airlines, Singapore and the Gulf-based carriers could be the possible frontrunners owing to the powerful lobbyists operating on their behalf within India. But should they be allowed to have unrestricted access? Foreign firms operating in India’s domestic market can be a potential security hazard. As for private Indian carriers, Jet and Kingfisher are both eyeing Air India. But the closure of a number of domestic private airlines has shown the private sector in poor light. The myth of private airlines being superior vis-à-vis government undertakings has been shattered.

However, the Air India management cannot be absolved of not looking after the airline’s interests. In fact, of late, a number of steps taken by Air India have helped its rival, Jet Airways. When Air India stopped its Delhi-Frankfurt-Los Angeles service after two years of hard work and market stabilization, the private carrier, Jet Airways, quickly filled the vacuum with its San Francisco operation. It is another matter that the private carrier stopped the flight owing to escalating fuel costs. Again, Air India restarted its Toronto service, connecting Amritsar via London-Birmingham, but the carrier began cancelling several flights and endorsing the tickets to Jet.

In fact, the list of grievances gets longer if one were to include issues such as the quality of some foreign pilots, their flight experience and the quantum of remuneration. However, the three burning issues facing Air India are those of ‘merger’, ‘bilateral air agreements’ and the ‘purchase’ of virtually everything airborne or on ground. The truth is that Air India faces problems within: corruption needs to be checked and cost-cutting measures introduced.

The pilots, however, would do better to fly than to highlight the problems within the organization. By resorting to a strike, the flyers fell into a trap and earned the antipathy of the government and of the management.

The pilots do have a point to make, but a different and calmer approach will do them immense good. Air India pilots need to appreciate the fact that one wrong move on the company’s part is likely to throw it out of contention in a competitive market dominated by manipulators and high-stake players.