Air India pilots’ unions write to Hardeep Puri again for meeting over pay cuts

The letter flagged the pilots’ pay cuts and said that flight safety and the working conditions of the pilots of Air India group companies cannot be seen in isolation.

Two pilots’ unions - Indian Commercial Pilots Association (ICPA) and the Indian Pilots’ Guild (IPG) – wrote to civil aviation minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Thursday requesting him to convene an urgent meeting over flight safety and working conditions of pilots of Air India, Air India Express and Alliance Air.

Air India staff at the funeral of Captain Deepak Sathe who died in the Air India Express flight crash in Kozhikode. (PTI)

The letter flagged the pilots’ pay cuts and said that flight safety and the working conditions of the pilots of Air India group companies cannot be seen in isolation in the background of the crash of an Air India Express flight in Kozhikode on August 7.

“Pending the findings of the official investigations, may we highlight the fact that flight safety and the working conditions of the pilots of Air India group companies cannot be seen in isolation. The recently imposed policies implemented by the Air India Board imposing steep, disproportionate and retrospective pay cuts specifically targeting pilots across Air India as well as Air India Express and Alliance Air are one such example,” the letter said.

It is the third time since July 27 that the pilots have sought a meeting with Puri.

“Our pilots are constantly facing the challenges of Covid- 19, monsoon weather, ill designed Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL), several extensions and dispensations given by the DGCA. Trying to burden the frontline workers with massive pay cuts to safeguard the salaries and perks of senior management add an extra undesirable dimension to the equation.”

The unions had earlier written to Puri on July 27 and August 1 seeking a meeting to discuss pay cuts which they say are unfair and discriminatory.

“Aviation policy makers are creating a caustic work environment without any reproach or consequence. It is paramount that the safety of the travelling public is not compromised. In this you are our singular hope,” the letter said.