New Delhi, Apr 29 (ANI): With the Air India pilots' strike entering its third day on Friday; the management of the national carrier warned that it will fire pilots who don't report to work by 5 p.m today.
According to sources, the management has also warned the pilots that if they did not comply with the ultimatum, then Essential Service Maintenance Act (ESMA) could be invoked against them.
Meanwhile, in a setback to the pilots, the Delhi High Court today refused to stay Air India management order derecognising Indian Commercial Pilots Association (ICPA).
The court, however, said that derecognition will not come in the way of any dialogue between the management and the striking pilot's body.
Refusing to accede to ICPA's plea to revoke its derecognition, Justice S Murlidhar issued notice to Air India Ltd and sought its response on the plea by the pilots' body by July 16.
The management of the airline said on Thursday it will not surrender to the pilots' pressure and added that no domestic flight bookings will be accepted till May 3.
Earlier, the Air India management had sacked seven pilots belonging to the Commercial Pilots Association.
Among those whose services have been terminated are ICPA President Captain Ashim Bhinder and General Secretary Captain Rishabh Kapoor.
The management also derecognised the ICPA and sealed its offices in Delhi and Mumbai.
The ICPA has about 700 members who use to work for Indian Airlines till it was merged with Air India in 2007.
The ICPA claims that while Air India pilots enjoy a huge fixed salary component, the same is almost minuscule for former IA pilots in 2007.
The association claims that while their entire pay package depends on the hours they fly every day, the airline has been curtailing the number of flights by 30 to 40 percent. (ANI)
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