Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh today apprised the Prime Minister of the situation in Air India following its pilots' strike.

Talking to reporters outside Parliament, he expressed the government's readiness to talk to the striking pilots. He said the government has given a package of 30 thousand crore rupees to bail out Air India.

It will take 8 to 9 years to bring the airline on a sound footing. The Minister sought the cooperation of all employees of Air India to restore the glory of the national flag carrier.

Air India Pilots strike has entered the fourth day today. Airliner spokesman said that all long haul flights to United States of America, Europe and Saudi Arabia have been cancelled.

He said bookings of its flight to these destinations have already been stopped till 15th of this month. With pilots remaining defiant, the Air India management had suspended 46 pilots.

Air India has cancelled three flights from Mumbai today due to the agitation of Air India pilots against rescheduling of the Boeing dreamliner training.

Air India sources told AIR in Mumbai today that flight AI 191 from Mumbai to New York, flight AI131 from Mumbai to London and flight AI 101 from Mumbai to Delhi, have been cancelled today.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court today refused to entertain Air India's contempt petition against Indian Pilots Guild. It asked Air India to sit with pilots and sort out differences.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation, DGCA today warned private airlines against hiking fares beyond their band. In its order DGCA has said, the cost of operation has not undergone any major change over the past two months.

DGCA has said, through search of websites of airlines and media reports as well as feedback from air travellers that fares on certain high demand sectors have registered a sudden spurt, which is almost 15 to 20 per cent higher on various metro routes compared to a month ago.

DGCA has directed domestic airlines to ensure that fares offered on various sectors remain within the fare band uploaded on the website of respective airlines.

The DGCA order came in the wake of MPs raising the issue in Parliament yesterday and asking the government to act.

Air India had moved a petition in the Apex court seeking initiation of criminal contempt proceedings against the office bearers of the Indian Pilots Guild for allegedly obstructing implementation of its order on training of pilots for the Dreamliner aircraft.