A Nok Air captain, who has been dismissed following Sunday's strike, defended pilots' decision to stop working saying the move was aimed at ensuring passenger safety. Sanit Khongphet said that 7 captains who are being probed over their cancellation of nine flights Sunday only followed ethical standards because it was "better to have passengers wait on ground than take them to death". He did not say exactly why he thought the airline was unsafe. Nok Air pilots went on strike Sunday, resulting in the cancellation of 9 flights. Hundreds of travellers were stranded at Don Mueang airport. Sanit, also former manager for aviation standards, said he has an explanation that would clarify the Sunday incident and warned Patee Sarasin, CE of Nok Air, against receiving one-sided information. <br/>
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The Federation of Indian Airlines, a lobbying body of 5 local carriers, is again up in arms against AirAsia India, raising questions over the airline's control following a management exodus and the likely exit of CE Mittu Chandilya. The federation plans to approach the aviation ministry with the plea that the friction between the management and the shareholders underlined that the airline was "remote controlled" from the Malaysian headquarters of parent AirAsia Bhd. AirAsia India's cofounder Arun Bhatia too had alleged that the airline was controlled by the foreign parent in contravention of Indian laws. The airline is one of the first beneficiaries of a rule change in 2012, which allowed foreign airlines to take up to a 49% stake in their Indian carriers. <br/>
French LCC Air Méditerranée has gone into liquidation, after no new buyers materialised to save it. The airline was placed in administration in Jan 2015 after several years of financial losses, in the hope that a purchaser would emerge. Tarbes Commercial Court set a deadline of Feb 15 for potential buyers to lodge bids, but none appeared. It is understood there were 2 possible buyers, but neither came forward with an offer. According to French media reports, the president of the Commercial Court said everything possible had been done to extend the deadline for bids. Air Méditeranée began operations in 1997 and operated charter and scheduled routes from Paris Charles De Gaulle and several southern French airports to Mediterranean and West African destinations. <br/>