The Delhi High Court on Wednesday issued contempt notices to 67 striking Air India pilots and their representative body, Indian Pilots Guild (IPG), for disobeying its earlier order by which their stir was termed as illegal.

The court's order came on a fresh application by Air India management seeking initiation of civil contempt proceedings against the striking pilots for their flagrant violation of

an earlier order which did not only term the strike as illegal, but had asked them to resume work.

Justice Khetrapal hearing the case however, said that he hoped better sense will prevail on the striking pilots.

Earlier in the day, Air India management had filed a contempt petition in the court against the striking pilots on the ground that they have failed to comply with the court's earlier order restraining them from undertaking the stir.

In a related development, Air India Management has extended its contingency plan to the 1st of next month.

The national career is operating a bear minimum number of international flights by clubbing flights to destinations in Europe and the US.

The Civil Aviation Minister Mr. Ajit Singh has said that the government is ready for talks with the agitating pilots, Meanwhile ,the government has clarified that the first B-787 Dreamliner will come to the country by end of this month as scheduled.

Dreamliner is a fuel efficient and technically advanced aircraft.

An official release however said that the Civil Aviation Minister, Ajit Singh has cancelled his visit to Seattle and Charleston in USA to take the delivery of Dreamliner in view of the on-going problems of Air India including pilot’s strike and passenger’s inconvenience.

The Indian Pilots Guild, IPG, on Wednesday expressed willingness to talk with Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh if the 101 sacked Air India pilots were taken back.

IPG Joint Secretary Tauseef Mukadam said, in press conference in New Delhi that they do not want their core demands to be met right now. They want that sacked pilots should be taken back and an assurance that their demands will be discussed.