Click to play videoNew Delhi: Air India pilots called off their four-day long strike over cut in their performance-linked incentives (PLI) and arrears on Wednesday morning.
Addressing a press conference in New Delhi on Wednesday Captain VK Bhalla said the pilots association decided to call off their stir following Centre's intervention.
"I am very grateful to the Prime Minister who asked Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel to intervene in our crisis. I have full faith on the assurances given by our Aviation Minister. If the Minister says that it (PLI) will be paid then we trust him. Civil Aviation Minister is the government and we trust the government. Therefore, we are going to call off our strike with immediate effect," said Bhalla.
He also added that there would be a turn-around committee formed to look into the demands of the pilots.
"The strike was for a serious issue. Now that the issue has been resolved, there is no pointing continuing the strike," he said.
However, Air India has already cancelled 34 flights scheduled for Wednesday.
Out of 34 cancelled flights, 30 are domestic while four are international flights.
Patel had on Tuesday issued a stern warning to the striking pilots that they must join work or face action.
"Please, cooperate. Join your duties. I hope the entire airline will come back to full operation from tomorrow, failing which the management will be free to take any decision that it feels is necessary," Patel warned the pilots.
Before issuing the warning Patel had met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. The Prime Minister had also met Air India CMD Jadhav and Civil Aviation Secretary MM Nambiar and asked them to find a solution soon.
Many executive pilots had been reporting sick and stayed away from duty since Friday night after Air India management decided to implement a cut in their PLI as a cost-cutting exercise.
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