Striking a conciliatory tone, agitating Air India unions today decided to hold talks with the management over the gag order issue.

"We have been invited by the management for talks and we are going to attend it. We will also meet the chief labour commissioner and place our demands," Air Corporation Employees Union (ACEU) general secretary J B Kadian told PTI here.

Over 20,000 employees, including engineers, went on a nationwide flash strike yesterday to protest Air India's gag order -- a circular prohibiting union leaders from going public with their demands.

With the striking employees unrelenting on their demand for withdrawal of the gag order and the show cause notices to union leaders, the AI management toughened its stand late last night threatening to even terminate service of the employees if they did not call off the stir.

Passengers faced a harrowing time today as the airline cancelled 76 domestic and international flights across the nation.

Yesterday, over 50 domestic and international flights were cancelled while several others were delayed by over two hours.

Air India has announced full refund to those whose flights were cancelled and made arrangements for hotel accommodation and local transport to those in transit.