Mumbai: More than 150 pilots of Air-India (A-I) have formed a new union and sought recognition from the management, more than a month after the Indian Pilots Guild (IPG) was derecognised, following their agitation and refusal to fly to Severe Acute respiratory Syndrome (SARS) affected areas and to Kuwait due to Iraq war.

"A majority of the pilots, including some office-bearers, of the erstwhile IPG had approached us after they formed an A-I Line Pilots Association in the wake of the IPG being derecognised on April 28," public relations director Jitender Bhargava said.

Bhargava said the pilots have "informed the management that the new association has been registered and it enjoyed majority support. We are looking into it", he said.

The IPG was derecognised on April 28 after reconciliation talks with the labour commissioner failed and nearly 180 of the 200 odd pilots walked out ignoring the directive asking pilots not to operate flights to far east and Kuwait due to SARS and the Iraq war.

The IPG moved the Mumbai High Court against derecognition and reopening of its office at old airport. The court asked it to submit a representation to the Union Minister of Civil Aviation praying for lifting its derecognition and reopening of IPG office, which had been sealed by the airline after the pilots' agitation and decide the matter by July 15.

The IPG general secretary captain Vivek Sansare, when contacted, said they would be making a representation to the minister next week.

PTI