Kingfisher offers 3 months’ salary, talks to continue

Kingfisher Airlines revived hopes of its survival after it offered to pay three months' salary before Diwali to its striking pilots and engineers. According to one report, the employees are prepared to agree to this offer, ending the impasse that has resulted in the airline being grounded for 23 days.

However, nothing final has emerged as yet, and the talks are expected to continue at Kingfisher House in Mumbai on Tuesday.

The cash-strapped airline has offered to pay one month's salary in 24 hours, a second installment within a week, and the salaries for the third month before Diwali, according to reports emerging from the closed-door meeting.

But not all employees, who have been unpaid for seven months, appear to be satisfied with the offer. Earlier, they had been demanding at least four months' salaries to resume duties. And they are also demanding a written assurance on the latest offer, as the airline has backtracked on similar offers in the past.

"There has been no written communication from the management in this regard. We don't know about any such offer," a pilot who was part of the meeting was reported to have said. "We cannot trust their words. They have gone back on their verbal promises earlier. We need a clear-cut written assurance," he said.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) cancelled the airline's licence three days back, saying it had no viable plan to get going again.