Delhi HC quashes Air India's decision terminating pilots, orders reinstatement

The direction was issued by Justice Jyoti Singh who also ordered that back wages would have to be paid to the reinstated pilots

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday come to the rescue of all Air India pilots, including the contractual ones, whose services were terminated by the national carrier last year. It quashed the decision and directed their reinstatement with back wages.

Justice Jyoti Singh passed the order in over 40 petitions by pilots whose services were terminated by Air India on August 13 last year.

The court ordered the Air India that back wages would have to be paid to the reinstated pilots.

However, the extension of contract, in the future, of the contractual pilots would be at the discretion of Air India in view of their satisfactory performance, it added.

The court said the detailed judgement would be available only on Wednesday.

In a sudden a decision that has created furore within the national carrier, Air India had on August 13, 2020 sacked 48 pilots who resigned last year but withdrew their resignations within the six months notice period time as per rules. The pilots were employed in flying the Airbus 320 fleet of the airline.

The Air India had then cited financial constraints and the impact of Covid-19 on the commercial functioning of the company for the decision taken.