DGCA hopes 'sick leave protest' at IndiGo, Go First will end soon

Aircraft maintenance technicians at IndiGo and Go First continue to remain on sick leave in protest against their low salaries, aviation regulator DGCA on Wednesday said, adding it hopes the situation will improve soon.

Flight operations of these airlines have remained normal during the period, it said.

"We are closely monitoring the situation. As of now operations are normal. Hopefully, it will be resolved shortly," the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said in a statement.

IndiGo has started taking disciplinary action against the technicians who went on mass sick leave in the last six days protesting against low pay, sources said.

A significant section of Go First aircraft maintenance technicians (AMTs) also went on sick leave during the past four days to protest against their low salaries.

Indian carriers, which were badly hit during the COVID-19 pandemic, had cut salaries of their employees to save cash.

On July 2, around 55 per cent of IndiGo's domestic flights were delayed as a significant number of its cabin crew members went on leave, with sources saying they reportedly went for an Air India recruitment drive.