State-run, Air India had to cancel 24 flights on Monday, most of which were international flights as 300 of its pilots did not show up for work on the day.

"It is still a stalemate [between the company and pilots]... the aviation minister has said he will only talk to them [pilots] if they come back to work, which they aren't willing to do," a company spokesperson said.

The airline said that the flights on Delhi-Toronto, Delhi-Chicago, Mumbai-Newark and Mumbai-Hongkong via Delhi sectors were cancelled as the pilots did not come for work. The management of state-run Air India has toughened its stance and has approached the Delhi high court to restrain its pilots from striking and not reporting for work.

Air India had announced its decision to sack a group of 10 pilots on Tuesday after they went on an agitation against the airline. The airline management also announced that it is derecognizing their union and had to seal its offices in Delhi and Mumbai.

Among the ten pilots who have been sacked by the airline, some are office bearers of the Indian Pilots Guild (IPG), which is heading the protest against the management. The management derecognized the IPG and sealed its offices in Delhi and Mumbai.