Mumbai: More than 35 pilots, who owe allegiance to the now derecognised Indian Pilots Guild (IPG) have reported for duty during the past 24 hours, Air-India sources said on May 1.

"We have 25 pilots who have reported for duty and rostered for flights and 10 more have joined today. The number is slowly increasing," Air-India's public relations director Jitender Bhargava said.

IPG general secretary Capt Vikrant Sansare admitted that 20 pilots have left and reported for duty. They were part of a breakaway group who have reported for duty. "They have been in and out of IPG", he added.

Air-India (AI) is also seeking to hire nearly 40 pilots of Indian origin, presently laid off by foreign airlines in the Far East, but their availability depends on the foreign carriers releasing them, the sources said.

The airline is keener to keep its A310 aircraft flying, especially to the Gulf region as presently only 50 per cent of the services are being operated.

Meanwhile, an AI spokesman in a statement said when the issue of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) was first discussed in April with various associations and unions, the IPG had stayed away from the meeting.

"When there is no requirement of a health certificate on flights operated within the country, why has this certificate then been insisted upon on domestic flights and flights abandoned within India on denial of certificate", he asked.

He pointed out that the general declaration form is required to be signed by the pilot in command. As most IPG members are co-pilots, they therefore have nothing to do with the general declaration form, he added.

The airline on May 1 put into effect a three day revised flight schedule and plans to operate three additional flights to the gulf region on May 2.

PTI