New Delhi, Aug 17 (IANS): While 57 pilots protest the termination of their services by Air India, its subsidiary company, Alliance Air, has begun recruiting for positions of commander and first officer.

Alliance Air had advertised for vacancies of commander and first officer last week, the day after its parent company Air India issued termination letters to 57 pilots. The recruitment process will end by September 18.

Air India has said that 57 pilots "seeking greener pastures" had "resigned" from the services of the airline citing financial constraints.

Air India said in a media statement, "The pilots include permanent and contractual ones. Some of the pilots had later withdrawn their resignations. Air India no longer requires the services of these pilots and has now accepted their resignations."

In a letter to Rajiv Bansal, Chairman and Managing Director, Air India, the Indian Commercial Pilots Association (ICPA) said on Friday that around 50 pilots have received illegal termination letters from the personnel department in blatant violation of the company's operation manual and service rules.