With agitating  pilots bring Air India's services to a complete standstill despite a court ban on their strike, the airlines has roped in retired pilots on the eighth day of the strike to operate domestic flights.

Sources say that the decision is a clear indication that the managment is unwilling to cede its position in its standoff with Indian Commmercial Pilots Association (ICPA), a representative body of the striking pilots. AI sources have, however,. maintained that the management is leaving no stone unturned to normalise services.

On Tuesday, the Delhi high court had lambasted the pilots union as well as the Air India management for not making reconciliatory attempts and thereby causing stranding passengers. The court also served contempt notices to nine ICPA pilots for defying its friday stay order on the strike.

The division bench asked all the nine ICPA leaders to file their responses within two weeks and remain present in the court on May 25.