Kingfisher Airlines suspends operations until 04-Oct-2012 and declares partial lock-out

Kingfisher Airlines announced (01-Oct-2012) a partial lock-out at the airline, effective immediately, with the suspension of all operations until 04-Oct-2012. The action was taken in reaction to a "series of protracted and unabated incidents of violence, criminal intimidation, assault, wrongful restraint and other illegal acts including refraining from attending work, by a small section of recalcitrant employees which were all unnecessary and unprovoked". Kingfisher Airlines stated it has sufficient staff to safely operate its current schedule of flights as per its holding plan. The carrier stated the "vast majority of the staff are willing to cooperate and support the company in these turbulent times", but they are not able to/not being allowed to report to work on account of "acts of criminal intimidation" by other employees, who have forced a "complete paralysis of operations". [more - original PR]