Pilots can't dictate terms to govt: Vayalar Ravi

Describing the strike, which led to cancellation of over 20 flights and delay of many others, as most irresponsible, he said the Government would not be cowed down by their threat to put the institution at "gun point" or dictate terms. Ravi also said pilots are the highest paid in the country.

He said the pilots should behave in a responsible manner as a committee was looking into their demands as had been promised by him to union members of Air India in Mumbai recently.

"When they complained about less flying hours, I gave direction to Air India chairman that they must get proper flying hours and there should be no complain," he said. Meanwhile, the Delhi High Court today asked the pilots to call off their agitation.

The Air India management has declared the strike illegal, derecognised the Indian Commercial Pilots' Association (ICPA) and sealed its offices in Delhi and Mumbai. The ICPA gave the letter intimating about the strike to the national carrier last night after conciliation talks with the management before the Chief Labour Commissioner failed.

The 800-odd striking pilots belong to the erstwhile Indian Airlines and owe allegiance to the ICPA. The merged entity--Indian Airlines and Air India--has about 1,200 pilots. The ICPA claims that while the Air India pilots enjoy a big fixed salary component, the same is almost minuscule for the former IA pilots.