Air India announces pay hikes for pilots, raises salary by up to 15%

Air India has announced significant salary increases for its pilots, with hikes ranging from 8% to 15%, depending on rank. First officers or co-pilots will receive command upgrades in Air India Express, a subsidiary with smaller single-aisle aircraft, before moving on to Air India, which operates larger wide-body aircraft with higher pay scales. The airline aims to make Air India Express more appealing through improved compensation and to tackle pilot shortages on the B737 fleet.

Pilots have been grappling with a guaranteed pay of 40 hours, which guarantees minimum pay regardless of actual flying time. In contrast, competitors like IndiGo provide fixed pay for up to 70 hours. Under the revised structure, Air India maintains the 40-hour guaranteed pay but has raised the rates for hours beyond this threshold, aligning with industry standards and rewarding productivity.

Furthermore, Air India is reviving international flights that were suspended following the West Asia crisis. This move is set to resume levels of international operations similar to those seen in January-February. The closure of Pakistan airspace necessitates longer routes, extended flying times, and a greater demand for pilots.

A senior commander flying 55 hours per month will see an increase in income from Rs 7.5 lakh to Rs 8.3 lakh per month. Meanwhile, first officers, whose monthly flying hours have dropped to 36, will see their earnings rise from approximately Rs 3 lakh to Rs 3.3 lakh. Despite this, the number of privilege leaves has been cut from 30 to 24 days, although weekly offs will not be considered as part of the leave entitlement.

Since Tata Group took over Air India and Air India Express in January 2022, the combined entity has seen its fleet grow from around 100 aircraft to over 300. As part of the new pay framework, Air India Express will serve as the primary route for command upgrades. Pilots can then progress to Air India for wide-body aircraft operation. Additionally, pilots supporting the B737 fleet in Air India Express will also be eligible for a fleet allowance.