AI strike: Court says solve the dispute amicably

The Delhi high court on Monday asked Air India and its pilots, who are on strike for nearly two months over their demands relating to career progression, to amicably settle the issue out of the court.

Stressing that the airline should adopt a parental attitude, justice Reva Khetrapal asked the counsel, appearing for the national carrier, as well as the pilots to inform by tomorrow (Tuesday) if there was any possibility to settle the dispute by the parties out of court.

“Your counsels can sit together, then talk to the clients and inform the court if there is any possibility of settlement,” justice Khetrapal said.

“We would like to see the matter settled. We want to see Air India prosper as the best airline in the world and the airline should adopt a parental attitude...,” the court said.

The court was hearing an application filed through counsel Sanjiv Sahay by the Indian Pilots Guild, the pilots union, seeking a direction to the management to reinstate the sacked pilots and also revoke the order that derecognises the union.

The pilots’ association said the pilots wanted to resume work but the management has created a hostile situation forcing them to go on a hunger strike.