HC rejects ICPA's plea on only esrtwhile AI pilots flying

The Delhi High Court has rejected a plea of Indian Commercial Pilots Association (ICPA) challenging Air India Ltd's decision to train only pilots belonging to erstwhile Air India to fly advanced Boeing 777 planes.
Justice Rajiv Shakdher dismissed the plea filed by ICPA, a representative body of pilots of erstwhile Indian Airlines, saying the decision does not violate any law and the court's intervention in the matter would only complicate the issue.
"The decision of AIL (Air India Ltd created after merger of Air India and Indian airlines in 2007) to have the co-pilots of erstwhile Air India to command Boeing 777 aircraft (subject to flight safety requirements), does not impinge upon any term and condition of service applicable to members of ICPA," the court said.

"The management of Air India Ltd should be allowed to run the airline in the manner which it thinks fit. The court's intercession in the matter could only complicate the matter further, specially having regard to the fact that the Implementation Committee (on Dharmadhikari Committee Report) is already examining as to what would be the best way forward," the court said.
The Dharmadhikari panel dealt with the integration of employees of unified Air India, including pilots, cabin crew and engineers.
The high court's order came on a plea by erstwhile Indian Airlines pilots challenging the AIL management's decision to train only erstwhile Air India pilots to fly Boeing 777 planes.

ICPA had stated that upon merger of the two entities, the assets of the two companies, which included their respective fleet of aircraft, should be available for operation without discrimination to the erstwhile Indian Airlines pilots.