AI pilots getting Rs 8000/month

NEW DELHI: Pilots are usually among the highest paid professionals in India. But executive pilots who are part of Air India���s management cadre have, for some months, been taking home barely Rs 4,500-8 ,000 per month!

Not surprisingly, the ���unwell��� pilots who are on sick leave aren���t keen to get well soon. Captain V K Bhalla, who is leading the agitation in Delhi, said: ������ AI���s management must pay our past three months��� dues and roll back the Talibani cut in salaries. Only then will we report for work. Allowances and performance-linked incentives are not being paid. I have got Rs 6,000 so far this month. Last month, till August 22, I had got Rs 8,000 and then some allowances. It���s not just me, most IA pilots (who were with Indian Airlines before the merger with AI) are getting a pittance. On top of that, they also want to cut the performance-based incentive of not just this month, but also the last two months.������

Another senior pilot said he has been getting Rs 4,600 for the past three months while his earlier take home was Rs 2-2 .5 lakh. Despite repeated attempts, AI���s spokesperson could not be reached for comment on this issue.



A worried government has called a meeting of all airlines on Tuesday. Aviation secretary M M Nambiar will stress to private airlines that they should not raise fares to cash in on the crisis and should accommodate AI passengers to ensure they are not left stranded.