Jakarta – Pilots with state-run carrier Garuda Indonesia cut short their 24-hour strike Thursday after company officials agreed to reopen negotiations over pay and working conditions. Pudjobroto, a spokesman for the airline, said he hoped the two sides could reach a satisfactory agreement before the end of August.

The 600-strong Garuda's Pilot Association called the strike – which lasted only half a day – after local pilots complained they earned 30 percent less than the carier's foreign pilots.

"We just want to be heard," said Capt. Stephanus Geraldus, the union's chairman. "Not only are we underpaid, we're overworked". "The board of directors should know all this undermines safety."

It was not immediately clear how many pilots took part in the strike. Gealdus said 500 initially agreed to join in, but many were convinced to return to the skies by early Thursday.

Ari Sapari, Garuda's chief operating officer, said the work stoppage caused no major disruptions in service.

Garuda, which has 900 pilots and 395 flights daily, leased a new fleet of Boeing 737 Next Generation last year but the planes were forced to sit in hangars because there were not enough pilots to fly them.

Rather than risking further financial losses, the airline brought in about 40 foreigners to operate the new planes and train new pilots.