Air India privatisation: Clear pending arrears, Air India pilots urge aviation minister

Air India’s Indian Pilots’ Guild, a recognised trade union representing the pilots of erstwhile Air India Ltd

Air India’s Indian Pilots’ Guild, a recognised trade union representing the pilots of erstwhile Air India Ltd., wrote to the new civil aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Thursday seeking an assurance that their long-pending arrears will be paid, as privatisation of the airline is in the final stages.

HT Image

From the beginning of the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Air India crew has flown crucial cargo and evacuation flights, as well as the flights under the Vande Bharat Mission. Moreover, the airline lost five of its pilots to Covid-19 during the second wave. All these pilots had operated flights during the first and second of the pandemic.

“We wish to bring to your attention an issue which gravely concerns the pilots of Air India as well other employees, and the privatisation process itself,” the pilots said.

In January 2013, Air India management cut staff salaries by 25% on an ad-hoc basis amid poor financial conditions.

“Despite being in a miserable condition, the pilots continued to bear the ad-hoc pay cut,” said a senior Air India pilot.

Former Air India chairman, Ashwani Lohani in his 2015 letter to employees had stated that the management was absolutely clear that the pending amount belonged to the employees and would therefore be released back.

Moreover, earlier this year the then minister of civil aviation Hardeep Singh Puri had told the media that the employees’ dues with arrears will be paid by Air India assets holding company before the closing of the proposed transaction.

“As the privatisation of Air India Ltd. seems to be at the final stage, we turn to you to make good these assurances of payment of our long pending arrears. We sincerely hope that under your tenure the interests of the employees will be addressed and that you could initiate the payment of these arrears at the earliest,” the letter read.

The pilots have requested Scindia for a meeting to discuss various issues and seek help to get back their money.