New Delhi - Private Indian airline Jet Airways cancelled over 240 flights Saturday, including 21 international ones, as a strike by its pilots entered its fifth day. A meeting between the striking pilots and the airline management in Mumbai ended with a representative of the pilot's union, Captain Girish Kaushik, saying the discussion was positive and he needed to discuss the management's offer with the pilots before they took a decision.
The second round of talks followed a marathon but inconclusive meeting in the Indian capital Friday under the guidance of India's federal labour commissioner.
At least 400 pilots - a little more than half of those on Jet's rosters - have taken sick leave since Tuesday to protest the July sacking of two pilots by the airline.
The pilots say their two colleagues were sacked because they formed a labour union and are demanding their reinstatement along with that of two others whom the airline sacked Wednesday for leading the walkout.
The two sides reached a draft agreement under which management agreed to reinstate the sacked pilots, but the airline's demand that the pilots should dissolve the newly formed National Aviator's Guild has been a sticking point, NDTV news channel reported, quoting government sources.
Jet Airways announced on its website Saturday that the airline would operate only two flights - London-Mumbai and Abu Dhabi-Delhi - on the international route. Passengers were advised to contact airline officials at the airport in Brussels for the Brussels-Delhi flight.
The airline also cancelled five international flights to Gulf countries scheduled for Sunday.
