Mumbai: Continuing with its tough stance, Air India (AI) management on May 2 said disciplinary action would be taken against the 46 suspended pilots and members of derecognised Indian Pilots Guild (IPG) would have to submit a written undertaking before 5.00 pm (IST) on May 3 on flying duties.

"All these pilots will have to give us an undertaking that they will take the assigned flights and undertake training for CAT III when deputed, for which no compensation will be paid," AI's public relations director told reporters.

Asked about the 27 suspended pilots, Bhargava said as per the court order, on May 2 all of them "will have to put in written representations individually explaining as to why they did not report for duty and the management will permit them to join depending upon the exigencies of the work".

Asked whether the pilots would be rostered for flights, Bhargava said, "At the moment, the requirement is less since we have curtailed flights to the Far East, including Hong Kong and Singapore." At the moment with a curtailed schedule, "we see an excess of pilots", he said.

Bhargava said IPG on May 2 wrote a letter to the management that "In national interest the managing committee is withdrawing all its directions and agree to resume flight duties immediately."

"We had asked for this on April 26, when the civil aviation secretary K Roy Paul, who is also the chairman, met IPG leaders and they should have agreed instead of causing financial loss to the airline," he said.

PTI