Air India pilots unhappy over Vistara merger, here's why

Section of Air India pilots are reportedly upset as they might lose two years of service compared to Vistara, both owned by the Tata Group.

A section of employees in Tata-owned Air India are upset over different retirement age limits compared to Vistara, news agency PTI reported.

Air India airline passenger aircrafts parked at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai. (File)(REUTERS)

The management has yet to address their concerns, leading to resentment ahead of the airline's planned merger with Vistara.

The retirement age for pilots and other staff at Air India is 58, whereas at Vistara, it is 60. Vistara, jointly owned by Tata Group and Singapore Airlines, will be merged with Air India on November 11. The merger is part of the salt-to-steel conglomerate's strategy to consolidate its aviation business.

Sources told PTI that management is yet to formulate a common superannuation age for the proposed merged entity.

“There is a lot of resentment among a section of Air India pilots ahead of the Vistara merger over the retirement age limit. While the management was prompt in bringing parity in terms of salary structure and other working conditions of the employees of the two airlines as part of the merger process, it is yet to address the issue of two different retirement age limits,” said the source.

The differing retirement age puts Air India pilots at a disadvantage compared to their Vistara counterparts, who are assured two more years of service. Civil aviation regulator DGCA regulations allow pilots to serve until the age of 65.

Air India has not commented on the concerns so far. Sources requested the airline to address this anomaly by revising its employees' age limit to be on par with Vistara.

“Air India pilots have already got a raw deal with the common seniority list, where many pilots have become junior in the seniority list compared to the Vistara pilots despite being more experienced and having more years in service,” the source claimed.

Earlier in August, Air India announced a new policy to retain select pilots under a five-year contract after retirement, with a provision to extend the contract until they reach 65 years of age.