Relation between airline, pilots ends once resignation submitted: Air India

Air India on Thursday told the Delhi high court that the legal employee-employer relationship between the airline and pilots ends once a resignation letter is submitted and pilots cannot later withdraw their resignations, prompting the judges to observe that this was a “dangerous” proposition and could backfire on the airline.

“This is a very dangerous path where Air India is treading. Suppose a pilot undertakes a flight and on the aircraft, there is a misdemeanour. He realises there may be disciplinary action and he resigns today… You will have to let him go today (without having to face disciplinary proceedings for the misdemeanour),” the bench of justices Rajiv Shakdher and Talwant Singh said.