'There is ESMA, court restrictions. I am afraid they would now impose TADA.' he said referring to the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act. 'Are there no laws to save us? What have our boys done?'.

In another development, Jet Airways chairman Naresh Goyal met Labour Minister Mallikarjun Kharge at Karnataka Bhawan in the capital Thursday.

'If there is a need of my ministry's intervention, we will do that,' Kharge told reporters after the meeting.

The carrier's ground staff also appealed to the pilots to withdraw their agitation and 'not put our future at risk'.

'We are already going through recession. Our salaries will be delayed. The airline is already undergoing losses. The pilots cannot put our future at risk,' customer care executive Jagjeet Kaur told reporters in Delhi.

Added Ashwani, a Jet Airways supervisor: 'We appeal to the pilots to give up their agitation. Our airline is making losses and now due to the pilots' agitation, our revenue is going to other airlines. How will we get our salaries?'

The strike has caused nearly 700 flights to be cancelled since Tuesday and has inconvenienced over 28,000 passengers.