With over 19 flights cancelled, the protest at Kingfisher Airlines entered its second day on Thursday as a section of the airline’s employees, including pilots and engineers, has not been reporting for work since Wednesday to protest the non-payment of salaries.

Crisis-ridden Kingfisher chief Vijay Mallya on Thursday issued a veiled threat to shut down the airline because of employees going on strike every now and then. The tone of the letter has not gone down well with the unpaid employees and they are planning some steps to somehow get the government's attention to their plight, something which may put a further question mark on the airline's ability to maintain its schedule. 

Vijay Mallya, chairman of the beleaguered airline wrrote the letter to his employees saying that the strike is 'unacceptable'.

The letter read,"As you may have read in the media, I have said that our Company will be re-capitalised whether the Government changes the current FDI policy or not. I have also expressed my anguish and sadness publically about unpaid salaries. If I was not confident about the future of our Airline, I would not make public statements nor arrangements to raise funds. I appeal to all of you to try and understand the extreme hardship that I am going through to keep our Airline flying to the highest safety standards. Every day, I have to write cheques to various vendors and service providers irrespective of the revenue inflow. We have continuing issues with the tax authorities with frozen bank accounts."

"As if that is not bad enough, some of our own colleagues are ensuring, by their actions, that our revenue prospects fall down further due to shaky guest confidence and poor load factors. Disrupting flights is not a solution. It just makes the position worse. Think about it. Why should I spend everyday to keep our Airline afloat if the actions of our own colleagues lead to loss of guest confidence and lower income by cancellation of flights or low load factors that result from uncertainty ? What is the confidence that I can give to investors who I am in dialogue with ? If some colleagues feel that I will be pressurised by flight cancellations, they are wrong."

"Instead, I will stop my own support as a few are effectively holding the entire Company to ransom. All of us must work together to earn the maximum benefit out of a currently difficult situation for the benefit of all employees-not just a few. If a section of our colleagues feel that their actions are justified and that they know best, they can elect to leave our Company. But such threats and disruptive actions are not acceptable. The actions of a few can adversely affect all of us. I am making arrangements, once again, despite several handicaps to disburse salaries as quickly as possible. But let those misguided colleagues know that if flights are disrupted by them, this will become more challenging."

 'Staying away from work will neither generate funds nor accelerate salary payments. If we all put our shoulder to the wheel, we have the strength to become healthy again. I trust that good sense will prevail amongst all. I am deeply grateful for your support and dedication amidst great hardship. I trust that, one day, I will be able to reward you for this herculean effort."

 - Vijay Mallya

A Kingfisher employee said Mallya’s letter was the most 'demoralizing' from him so far.

"Such a letter comes whenever there is a strike. Nothing new. This time he also said that he would stop funding. I know I am reading all negative into it but your mind surely works like that when you are not paid for six months," this employee said, declining to be named.

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