Air India pilots are demanding their pre-COVID salaries back

Eighteen months into the pandemic and with approaching privatization, Air India pilots have written to top management demanding their pre-COVID salaries back. With air travel gaining momentum and the worst seemingly over, the carrier’s pilots feel it’s about time such changes reflect in their monthly compensation as well.

The Indian Commercial Pilots Association (ICPA), one of two main bodies representing Air India pilots, wrote to the carrier’s Operations Director, Capt. RS Sandhu regarding salary issues. Air India recently discontinued its “full board” services (three meals for pilots during layovers), which did not go down well with the crew.

The letter asked for the layover allowance to be restored, stating,

“We cannot survive with the current payout on international soil with the discontinuation of full board.”

Recently, the Indian Pilot Guild (IPG), the carrier’s union for widebody pilots, had also written to top management highlighting the need to restore salaries immediately.

For a year and a half now, Air India pilots have received salaries without allowances that form a bulk of their compensation. While the airline claims that allowance reduction has affected 40% of the salary component, the pilots say it’s up to 80%. The letter by IPG stated,

“With the advent of the pandemic, our layover sustenance allowance was drastically cut to approximately one-third of its original sum resulting in a 60% – 70% cut. Furthermore, our flying allowance was cut by 40%. This was only in theory. In practice, this cut surmounted to 70% to 80% due to the significant reduction in the number of flying hours allotted to each pilot.”

Reminder of service during the height of the pandemic
Last year, just a couple of months into the pandemic, Air India began its “Vande Bharat” mission, repatriating Indian citizens from around the world. Air India pilots and cabin crew conducted these special flights even as regular commercial travel was halted entirely.

The letter by IPG reminded the authorities to show some concern for Air India pilots who served during critical times. simplifying.com