COVID-19: AIASL to provide job to family member in case of employee's death

Air India Airport Services Limited, a subsidiary of Air India Limited, announced on Sunday that it will provide jobs to family members of any Air India employee who dies due to the novel coronavirus. In a staff notice, released on June 6, the company circulated the information among its employees.

Mumbai:Air India's ground handling subsidiary, Al Airport Services Limited (AIASL) will provide job to a family member of its employees on compassionate ground in the eventuality of loss of life due to coronavirus pandemic, the company said in a notice.

In a staff notice, the company said, "In view of this (coronavirus pandemic) national crisis, it has been decided by the competent authority of AIASL that the company on humanitarian and compassionate grounds, will render support the family of the deceased employee (due to COVID-19) may he/she be from AIASL, Air India or its subsidiaries by giving suitable employment to a family member."

The notice came on the day a 58-year old Air India pilot, who retired in April, reportedly died of COVID-19.

Air India Engineering Services Ltd (AIESL), which is headed by ex-Air India ED Ashvini Sharma, also said the employment will be provided as per the terms of engagement in the company and at airports served by the company. It carries out ground handling business across 81 airports in the country.

During the nationwide lockdown due to COVID-19 pandemic, AIESL staff have handled around 1,900 flights (til June 4) and have been supporting the cargo operations under the central government's lifeline Udan initiative, and also handling flights under the Vande Bharat Mission besides servicing the domestic flight, it said.

It may be mentioned here that Air India's largest employees unions, Air Corporation Employees Union (ACEU) General Secretary J B Kadian had in a letter to the airline chairman and managing director Rajiv Bansal early this week urged to include staff members attached to its subsidiaries in the medical insurance cover for "COVID-19 Frontline warriors".

"We would like to point out that Air India and its subsidiary staff do not find any mention in the scheme announced by the government and equally surprising with the fact that they do not find any mention in the Welfare Insurance Schemes of the airline.

"We would request you to be kind enough to include these staff of Air India and ensure implementation of Insurance Scheme in line with and the same manner as is announced by the government for COVID-19 frontline warriors," Kadian had stated in the letter.

PTI