Ten pilots have reported to work after Air India ultimatum to the agitating pilots to resume duties by five this evening. According to Air India Sources, the management is preparing a list of pilots who are not on duty without any intimation and will initiate action against them tomorrow morning. Earlier in the day, the Delhi High Court had also initiated contempt proceedings against the striking pilots for defying its order to resume work.

Passengers are the worst hit with the stand -off between the government and agitating pilots continuing for the third day today. 126 Air India flights were cancelled across the country today due to the agitation and airfares of private airlines have also soared up. Our Correspondent reports that the national carrier will not make any fresh bookings for next five days to clear off the backlog. AIR correspondent reports that, Although Air India is operating four special flights and has enrolled wide bodied aircraft to clear off the backlog, there are large number of passengers still stranded at the airports. Though introduction of special trains by the railways has provided an alternate facility of travel, but they are enough to cope up with rush of the passengers. The cash strapped public carrier is losing around four crore rupees a day which will add to its financial woes. Be that as it may, stranded passengers hope that better sense will prevail and the agitation will be called off soon in the larger public interest.