On Friday morning, an Air India spokesperson had said that the airline had cancelled Gaikwad’s Delhi-Mumbai round trip tickets for 17 April and 24 April.

Earlier, the Air India Cabin Crew Association had said Gaikwad must not be allowed to fly until he tenders an "unconditional apology" to the airline’s staff for beating up a 60-year-old staffer, and asserted that he poses a risk to flight safety.

Late on Thursday, in a letter to AI Chairman and Managing Director Ashwani Lohani, the association said that a decision by either the Ministry of Civil Aviation or Parliament to lift the ban will affect the morale of the employees.

The letter said: