Mumbai, Sep 8 - Chaos prevailed at Mumbai, Delhi and other airports across the country as over 400 pilots of Jet Airways stayed away from work on 'sick leave' since early Tuesday.

Nearly 20 domestic flights, including several early morning flights on trunk routes like Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, and other major sectors like Jaipur, Bhopal, Ahmedabad were cancelled. Jet Airways management attempted to club flights or accommodate passengers on alternate flights to minimise inconvenience to fliers.

A section of pilots, who were rostered for flying duties Tuesday have gone on mass sick leave since midnight in protest against the termination of two senior pilots.

Terming the pilots action 'as an organised and planned sabotage of operations that would damage the airlines' operations', a Jet Airways spokesperson said that it contravened the ongoing conciliation process with the pilots before the Regional Labour Commissioner.