Air operations at several Indian airports were once again thrown into disarray after nearly 150 disgruntled Air India pilots refused to fly and went on "sick leave" yesterday.

The pilots, mostly in the non-unionised executive category, were unhappy over the cash-strapped Air India management's decision to slash their productivity-linked incentives by 50 to 70 percent last Wednesday, a move that would drastically reduce their take home pay by at least 50 percent.

As of Sunday morning, at least 20 domestic and international flights were either cancelled or delayed.

The national carrier's flight from Chennai to Kuala Lumpur, scheduled to depart at 2am Sunday was cancelled and another from Chennai to Singapore, scheduled for 12.45am Sunday, was also disrupted.

"All Air India passengers were accommodated on Air India Express flight which left Kuala Lumpur at 2.30am. It is too early to say about tomorrow morning's flight to Kuala Lumpur.

"Some talks have been initiated and we hope it will come under control," a Chennai-based senior Air India official told Bernama today.

Air India, and its low-cost subsidiary Air India Express, connects to 25 destinations worldwide.

The new labour agitation is taking place barely two weeks after about 400 Jet Airways pilots went on a mass "sick leave" for days, which almost crippled the airline's domestic and international operations.

Jet Airways' pilots wanted the management to reinstate two of their colleagues who were sacked by the airline for trying to establish a union.

The dispute was settled after the airline agreed to re-employ them and drop all charges against pilots who went on strike.

- Bernama