Air India Engineering Services Limited is facing major operational pressure after maintenance staff across several Indian airports reportedly stopped reporting to work over the past ten days. The protest, which began on May 13, has forced the company to hire third-party firms to maintain daily aircraft servicing operations.
Employees have raised multiple demands, including withdrawal of a job-switch restriction policy, salary revision, implementation of dearness allowance, and enforcement of the new labour code. Workers allege that management has not yet provided any clear response to their concerns.
AIESL is India’s largest Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) company and handles maintenance for several aircraft fleets, including Airbus A320 family aircraft, A330s, Boeing 737NGs, B777s, B787 Dreamliners, and other widebody jets operating across the country.
The company’s engineering workforce, estimated at around 1,800 to 2,000 technical employees, operates at major airports including Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Kolkata, and Chennai. Staff members are responsible for critical maintenance tasks such as hydraulic systems, engine checks, landing gear servicing, wheel brake replacement, and pre- and post-flight inspections.
Employees claim they approached AIESL Chief Managing Director Vineet Goel and General Manager Gurmeet Singh regarding their demands, but no assurance has reportedly been given so far. The ongoing protest has now raised concerns within the aviation sector over possible operational disruptions if the situation continues.