The Delhi High Court on Wednesday asked national carrier Air India to respond to a bunch of petitions filed by several pilots challenging its decision to terminate their services with effect from August 13.
Listed for next Tuesday
Justice Jyoti Singh asked Air India to give its response based on the categories of pilots who have been terminated from service. The High Court has listed the case for direction on next Tuesday.
During the hearing, a counsel for some of the pilots contended that the Air India staff are asking the pilots to surrender their I-pad, ID card etc. To this, the High Court said that the counsel for Air India has given an assurance to the court that it will desist from doing so.
“We are living in a city where population runs into millions. If something is conveyed here, it does not mean it will necessarily trickle down to every employee of Air India. But we have total faith in the assurance given by the counsel (for Air India),” the High Court said.
“You are here before the court. Assuming somebody was to sack you (in the meantime), the court is not powerless to get you back. If you succeed, you will be back,” the court observed.
The HC was hearing a bunch of pleas by the pilots who had resigned due to non-payment or delayed payment of their salaries. These pilots later withdrew the resignations before the six-month notice period was over. They have sought directions to Air India not to accept their resignations.
Financial condition
In response to the earlier petition, Air India, in an affidavit, said the delay in payment of salaries and allowances was in no manner done with a mala fide intention but due to its precarious financial condition.
The airline said that it had to stop operation of flights on all its international/ domestic sectors indefinitely, thereby incurring heavy losses.
The airline also stated that “the fact of the present matter falls under an exceptional circumstance and the acceptance of the withdrawal would be gravely against the public interest”.
