Cathay Pacific pilots withdrew their legal battle with the Government over flight safety standards yesterday in a deal struck after a judge said it may be better to settle the dispute outside court.
Mr Justice Frank Stock also expressed concern that if he ultimately decided to rule in favour of the pilots, on claims that the present procedures reduce their protection from fatigue in the cockpit, all Cathay Pacific flights would have to be grounded.
'The question I am raising is what is the real point of this exercise and whether there is not some other more sensible way of its resolution,' the judge said.
Mr Justice Stock told the pilots' barrister: 'My immediate reaction is that you are asking me to say that Cathay Pacific are acting under a scheme which is unlawfully made. That is quite a big thing to say.
'This court is unlikely to stop Cathay Pacific from flying.' Several hours of intense negotiations followed at the Court of First Instance, leading to an agreement that the case would be halted and a review of procedures relating to pilots' duty hours and their rest time conducted.
Philip Dykes SC, for the Aircrew Officers' Association, told the judge the pilots had gone to court 'because they thought that as a matter of public law there had been a wrong committed'.