Hotel bus transfer company ‘holds Air India staff hostage’ in fees row
27.06.11
Last Thursday cabin crew and pilots from Air India were 'held hostage' over the airline’s non-payment of invoices, DNA reports. The airline had not paid £60,000 to the bus company that transfers its staff between Heathrow and a hotel each day, so DNA reports that OSJ Transport Company took 11 of its crew members hostage. The crew were allowed to go only after the airline gave them two cheques.
On June 23 at 08:30, the cabin crew of Air India’s Heathrow - Mumbai flight were picked up from their hotel by OSJ as normal. A cabin crew member told DNA: ‘We thought that the coach was taking us to Heathrow airport. But the bus took us to the company’s transport yard, which was just five minutes away from the hotel. The company then called up our operations department and asked them to clear the pending invoices.'
OSJ operates four buses each day between Heathrow and the hotel where the Air India crew stay. Apparently the £60,000 was for the past three months charges. The company owner is said to have told the airline that if the latter did not make immediate payments, they would not take the crew to the airport in time for the flight.
The airline sent two cheques to OSJ’s office after which the crew was taken to the airport. An official from OSJ told DNA: ‘Yes, something like that did happen. But I cannot comment on the issue.'
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