AI pilots strike rocks Parliament; HC calls stir illegal

The Delhi High Court today restrained Air India pilots going on mass sick leave since Monday night from continuing their "illegal strike" or staging demonstrations, even as the airline sacked 10 more agitating pilots, adding to the 10 that were sacked on Tuesday.

"The defendant No1 (the Indian Pilots' Guild), its members, agents and its office bearers are restrained from illegal strike. The pilots are also restrained from reporting sick, holding dharnas, staging demonstrations or resorting to any other modes of strike in and outside the company's offices in Delhi and other regional offices," Justice Reva Khetrapal said in her order.

The judge also issued a notice to the IPG (which was de-recognised by the airline's management on Tuesday) asking it to reply to the management's plea for the court's intervention.

Civil aviation minister Ajit Singh had called the strike illegal on Tuesday; and as reported, moves were afoot to seek judicial intervention (See: More flights cancelled as AI pilots' stir continues).

The judge said allowing such strike to continue would cause irreparable loss to the company as well as huge inconvenience to passengers booked on the national carrier.