Air India pilots’ union Indian Commercial Pilots Association (ICPA) has written to Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia urging him reversal of the pay cuts due to the pandemic last year. They seek to reinstate pre-pandemic allowances that were discontinued as part of cost-cutting measures adopted in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The two airline pilots’ unions earlier had written individually but did not receive any response from their respective management.
“With the COVID scenario on the decline and aviation returning to normal, we seek your intervention to restore the salaries and roll back the unjust pay cuts rendered to pilots since the beginning of the pandemic,” they said. This has been a long stated demand of pilots and they say that as other airlines have returned to pre-COVID salaries, they should also be remunerated appropriately.
“The massive pay cut of up to 60% for Air India pilots has dramatically diminished our livelihoods. Looking at the current aviation industry standards, the continuation of the pay cut does not merit any justification,’ read the letter.
