The airline operations of state-run airports are expected to be disrupted from March 12, as employees of Airport Authority of India (AAI) decided to go on strike after the government disapproved their demand to continue the operations of the subsisting Bangalore and Hyderabad airports.

The government has decided to shut down airports in both the cities after the opening of the new greenfield airports there.

M.K. Ghoshal, a leader of the 14,000 striking employees, said that the strike will hit operations at 127 airports across the country.

But, the AAI employees demanded that the government will continue functioning at Bangalore and Hyderabad airports together with new ones.

With this, some employees will lose their jobs, whereas others will be made to move to other cities. They are also demanding more benefits.

The civil aviation ministry rejected the demand during discussion with the employees’ union leaders.

Mr. Ghoshal said, “We are not against privatisation, but we want the old airports to continue to function.”

“Employees in 127 airports of India will go on a strike and there will be no emergency or safety services to facilitate landings and take-off,” he added.

A spokeswoman for the civil aviation ministry said the government will take necessary steps to make sure that passengers were not troubled.

During the last month, the employees had delayed a similar strike after the government said it would think about a few of the demands.

But discussions during the last few weeks failed to break the deadlock.

On Monday, Civil Aviation Minister, Praful Patel said that the government would close the old airports in Hyderabad and Bangalore due to lack of proper facilities.