The stand off between the Air India Managemnet and agitating pilots continues with no solution in sight , as the strike entered the fifth day today. The national carrier reduced its operation to 40 flights across its network against the regular 165 .Officail sources confirmed that the management is in favour of persuading pilots to return to the negotiating table. Sources said that AIR India CMD Arvind Jadhav in an SMS to its employees has appealled them to urge the pilots to start talks a fresh. An airline spokesman said nearly 90 per cent of the domestic operations were hit. Agitating pilots say that they have not received any formal invitation for talks from the Air India management.They maintain they are open to talks if an assurance is given that their demands will be met in a set time frame.Delhi High Court last week came down heavily on striking pilots for defying its order to resume work. This followed Air India management moving the court seeking contempt proceedings against the pilots.The Court has already initiated contempt proceedings against office bearers of derecognised Indian Commercial pilots association.AIR correspondent reports that Air India has landed itself in the worst debt trap.The national carrier is spending all its earnings in repayment of interest on aircraft . The carrier has been incurring a loss of 26 crore rupees per day. The national carrier has an outstanding short term working capital loan of 20,763 crore rupees and an annual interest burden of 2,400 crore rupees, at the rate of 12 to 14 per cent. Apart from this, the cash-strapped carrier also has a payment overdue of 3,320 crore rupees to oil companies and other vendors.