Unions called an end to their two-day strike on Wednesday after a Delhi High Court order urged employees to resume their duties.

Representatives from the two unions held talks with management in the Indian capital on Wednesday afternoon.

"In view of the court order and successful meetings with the Chief Labor Commissioner, we have decided to call off the strike," Vivek Rao of the Air Corporation Employees Union told the media.

Shortly before, India's aviation minister, Praful Patel, had condemned the strike that led to some 120 flight cancellations – many on international routes.

Air India going through a tough time

Patel said the 15,000 striking staff members should support the airline, which was already going through difficulties before a plane from its low-cost subsidiary crashed last weekend.

"The entire Air India family should have been one in solidarity and tried its best, not only to help the families of the victims but also to have resurrected the brand of Air India and tried its best to redeem the damage to the airline," he said in a statement.

According to Air India, 76 flights were cancelled on Wednesday. The strike had been called by two unions in protest against an alleged management "gag" on staff talking to the media after the crash.

Air India management denies gagging order

In a statement, Air India has denied that there ever was a gagging order. It says that the media misinterpreted a request that staff not speak to the press for the sake of the company's "images and revenues".

The airline declared a 55.5 billion rupee (1.16 billion US dollars) net loss for the financial year to March 2009 and is expected to announce a similar net loss for the following year to March 2010.

Last September an Air India strike lasted for five days and led to 250 flights being cancelled. Employees protested against wage cuts.

act/AP/AFP/Reuters
Editor: Disha Uppal