India’s aviation authorities have ruled out intervening in a dispute between Akasa Air and its pilots. Over 40 out of its approximately 450 pilots of Akasa Air’s pilots resigned without serving their notice periods, leading the airline to sue some of them and requesting Indian authorities in court for clarifying stance to address the alleged misconduct. India mandates notice periods of 6-12 months for pilots, which some pilot organizations are challenging in court.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and the aviation ministry have stated that the regulator does not have the authority to interfere in employment contracts, leading to the dismissal of Akasa Air’s plea. The pilot resignations caused 632 flight cancellations in August, according to Akasa AIr, while the DGCA contests that only 1.17% of the airline’s flights were canceled during that month.

Source: Indian Local Media