Aviation ministry should vaccinate crew on priority basis, say pilots

As the country fights the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic, frontliners employed with various Indian airlines are facing the brunt. Sources from various airlines said that as pilots and cabin crew were not vaccinated on a priority basis, they are contracting Covid-19.

Sources in Air India said in Mumbai and Delhi alone, six senior pilots are in intensive care units (ICU) fighting the virus. A senior Air India pilot said, “At least six of our pilots are critical and many are getting treated for Covid-19. We recently lost our fellow pilot to the virus, and this has brought fear among the pilots and their families.”