New Delhi:Exasperated by Air India’s unending flight delays and poor on time performance (OTP), the government has passed an unprecedented order to deduct payment of any employee who reports late and consequentially forces a delayed take off. This order is effective from Sunday (February 1). Issued by aviation secretary V Somasundaran, the order covers pilots, cabin crew, engineering staff (if they make aircraft available for flight late), ground handlers and even in-flight catering suppliers. This is incidentally Somasundaran’s second order within a week. He had earlier directed AI to hire 800 cabin crew to mitigate delays caused by a crippling crew shortage.
