Join duty now or face action: Air India tells pilots

NEW DELHI: Air India on Wednesday said a section of pilots had not reported for work even after their strike was called off and threatened

"severe action" against them.

A section of the pilots continue to be rigid over pay cuts and are not willing to join duty, an airline official said.

"Severe action would be taken against the pilots who refuse to join their duty by evening. The strike has been called off," the official said.

"We would even recommend the DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation) to cancel their pilot licenses or dismiss them from service."

Earlier Wednesday, the pilots ended their five-day strike following assurances from the civil aviation ministry that there would be no salary cuts.

The strike began Saturday with 180 Air India pilots going on sick leave to protest the cut in their productivity linked incentives.

Till Tuesday, day four of the strike, 100 flights had been cancelled. On Wednesday, 28 flights were chopped.