An Akasa Air passenger aircraft. File.
| Photo Credit: Reuters

Newly launched budget carrier Akasa Air has moved the Delhi High Court seeking a direction to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to act against pilots who left the airline without serving their mandatory notice period.

Akasa Air, which operated its first commercial flight between Mumbai and Ahmedabad on August 7, 2022, has seen several pilots resign, affecting its operations. The airline told the High Court that it was in a “state of crisis” because of these resignations and had to cancel multiple flights every day this month.

The High Court has listed the airline’s plea for further hearing on September 22. The court also queried the DGCA as to what action it takes in case flights have to be cancelled due to pilots’ resignations.

‘Coercive action’

SNV Aviation Private Limited, which flies under the brand name Akasa Air, has sought a direction to the DGCA to “take coercive action against pilots who fail to comply with the mandatory notice period requirements, in terms of the Civil Aviation Requirement”.

“We have sought legal remedy only against a small set of pilots who abandoned their duties and left without serving their mandatory contractual notice period,” an Akasa Air statement said. “Not only is this illegal in law but also an unethical and selfish act that disrupted flights in August forcing last minute cancellations that stranded thousands of customers causing significant inconvenience to the travelling public,” it added.

(With PTI inputs)