The maharajah’s employees are struggling for salary even during Diwali. Eighty percent of the pilot’s salary in the form of Performance Linked Incentives (PLI) and allowances is due for almost four months.

The beleaguered national carrier Air India’s pilots have now seeked the intervention of the prime minister Manmohan Singh.

Indian Commercial Pilots Association (ICPA) has written a letter to the PM on October 24 demanding urgent action regarding their salary. The letter reads, “Sadly with two days to Diwali, “The Festival of Lights”, the most important and significant Indian festival, there still continues to be darkness in the lives of the Air India employees with 80 percent of our salary due in the form of PLI and allowances for almost four months. While we continue to strive with smiles on our faces and offer exemplary hospitality to make our esteemed passengers feel at home, always in hope of a revival of the National carrier, the fact is that the employees and their families are suffering on this joyous occasion while the whole country celebrates Diwali”.

The pilots body has also blamed the mis-management of the Airline in the past. The letter also reads, “Air India which was once the pride of the Nation is now in a limbo even for its day to day operations, seeking urgent government intervention. As the Government and the country are aware, Air India has suffered and is in bad shape only because of the mis-management of the Airline in the past, which now seems to be improving with the new chairman and managing director in charge.”

A member of ICPA says, “It’s like a do or die situation for us. We have been struggling for a number of months and even during Diwali the national flag carrier had not considered our financial crisis. It’s a very sad feeling.”

The letter by ICPA also reads, “we feel that now is the ONLY time to act or it will simply be a case of too little too late.”