The strike by Air India executive pilots has been called off. Capt V K Bhalla, who was spearheading the stir, told reporters in New Delhi that the strike is being called off in view of assurances by Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel that status quo will continue on issues. He said Executive Pilots will resume work with immediate effect. Capt Bhalla thanked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for intervening in the issue. He also apologised to the public for the inconvenience caused by the agitation.<br/>About 200 Air India pilots have reported sick since Saturday in protest against a 50 per cent cut in their productivity-linked incentives (PLI) and payment of their due flying allowance of three months. The strike had forced the airline to cancel over 240 flights in the last four days.<br/>Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel on Tuesday appealed to the striking pilots to return to work failing which the Air India management is free to take any action against them. Air India CMD Arvind Jadhav said that the PLI and allowance of July has been paid and it will reflect in the account of pilots by the 6th or 7th of next October.<br/>