Thaindian News

New Delhi/Mumbai, March 15 (IANS) Flag-carrier Air India will continue normal operations as the Delhi High Court Tuesday banned the proposed strike by a section of pilots beginning Wednesday.

Justice Gita Mittal, issuing the order, said: “Conciliation is pending and there is no threat to go on strike. It is further submitted that there is no intention of the defendants to violate any statutory provisions.”

The judge directed the pilots union to adhere to its earlier statement, in which it postponed the strike in the view of conciliatory steps taken by Civil Aviation Minister Vayalar Ravi.

“The Indian Commercial Pilots Association (ICPA) shall remain bound by the statement made on their behalf on March 7 and shall ensure the statutory provisions prohibiting strikes during the pendency of the matter,” the judge said.

A senior Air India official told IANS that the pilots union has agreed to accept the court’s order and will have to reply to it in four weeks.

Earlier, the same group of pilots had postponed the planned strike from March 9 after an initiative taken by the civil aviation minister.

ICPA, a group of pilots from the erstwhile Indian Airlines, now merged with flag carrier Air India, had served the strike notice Feb 23.

The association claimed that there were differences in salaries and working conditions of pilots of Indian Airlines and Air India and that the management has violated the memorandum of settlement signed in November 2009 on implementing the Sixth Pay Commission recommendations.

The ICPA is also demanding payment of arrears since the date of merger of the two airlines in 2007.

The organisation represents some 800 pilots of the erstwhile Indian Airlines.

Air India has said all efforts are on to stave off the strike.

A meeting of the director board of Air India in Mumbai, which concluded late Tuesday evening, discussed turnaround plans and the restructuring of the top management.

The meeting was attended by top airline officials, including chairman and managing director Arvind Jadhav.

K. M. Unni, head of the the airline’s strategic business unit, was Monday given the additional charge of chief operating officer.

The move came after the former COO, Gustav Baldauf, was asked to resign last month after he passed negative comments on the functioning of the government-controlled airline.