Akasa Air is taking legal action against 43 former pilots who left the carrier without serving a six-month notice period.
Legal papers were filed with the Bombay High Court that said the pilots should be barred from joining any other organization until the six-month notice period is served, as stated in their contracts.
The legal action also claims that due to the pilots’ behavior Akasa Air was forced to cancel multiple flights, which caused reputational damage and financial losses.
According to The Economic Times, the airline is seeking damages for $2.9 million (Rs 22 crore).
The Indian carrier described the actions of the pilots as both “unethical and selfish”.
Akasa Air spokesperson said in a statement, “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. This was not only in violation of their contract but also the country’s civil aviation regulation.”
The statement added: “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. Fortunately, that is behind us now. Thanks to the hard work of our colleagues. As a young start up, we are proud of what every Akasian has helped us build in the first year of our operations.”