Hong Kong  - Eighteen pilots sacked by Hong Kong airline Cathay Pacific during an industrial dispute eight years ago continued their battle for compensation in court Tuesday.

The pilots, who were among a group of 49 sacked en-masse in July 2001, are claiming they were wrongfully terminated and their careers ruined because of damaging comments made about them by airline bosses.

They claim the airline targeted them because of their trade union activities in a long dispute which concerned rostering issues and pay.

They also allege that remarks made by airline bosses, which accused them of disrupting airline operations and besmirching the reputation of Hong Kong, had damaged their professional reputations and careers.

The hearing continues this week in the Court of First Instance with more pilots scheduled to testify. (dpa)