Having secured the government’s backing at the highest level, and with negotiations headed nowhere even after four days, the Air India (AI) management was on Tuesday considering legal action against pilots who are on mass sick leave.

The government said “all options were open” for AI, and the airline may approach the Directorate General of Civil Aviation to seek cancellation of pilots’ licences.

The crisis deepened on Tuesday as 72 pilots of the old Air India joined the 116 agitating pilots from the erstwhile Indian Airlines. As many as 101 domestic and 14 international flights — including non-stop long-haul flights to New York, London and Chicago from the metros — were cancelled.

Fresh bookings remained suspended for the second day running. The AI website continued to show ‘seats not available’ for all flights till October 15.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh took stock of developments through the day, and in the evening met Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel. Sources in the government said the AI management was told not to buckle under pressure, and to take the pilots head on.

The airline’s legal department is reportedly of the opinion that AI is within its rights to suspend — or even sack — the pilots for negligence of duty. “Since the executive pilots are part of the management, they cannot act against the interest of the management,” the legal department is understood to have opined.

Patel appealed to the pilots to return to work by midnight, but made it clear that if they didn’t fall in line, “all options are open” for the management, which will be “free to take any measure it feels fit”.

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