Salaries of Air India employees to be restored in phases from April

Air India announced on Friday that it has partially restored the salaries of its employees after cutting them during the COVID-19 pandemic. The partial restoration of salaries will be implemented from April 1, 2022, onwards. Air India added that the restoration of salaries will happen in a phased manner. 

"As the hope of a post-pandemic world seems within reach and the Aviation Sector takes off once again with some visible changes in our performance, we are happy to inform you that your salary cuts have been reviewed and the restoration of salaries will happen in a phased manner The following changes will be implemented w.e.f. April 2022," wrote Air India as part of an organisational announcement. 

It further added that for pilots and cabin crew, international layover allowance and domestic layover allowance, wherever applicable, remain unchanged and rates applicable in March 2022 will continue to be applicable.

The cut in the flying allowance of Air India pilots has been reduced from 35 per cent of the pre-pandemic level to 15 per cent of the pre-pandemic level for this phase of salary rationalisation. Special pay pilots and wide body allowances have been restored by 25 per cent. These had witnessed a cut of 40 per cent.

For cabin crew, the cut in the flying allowance has been reduced to just 5 per cent of pre-pandemic levels. 

The salary restoration of other Air India employees has been done as per the following matrix: 

This announcement comes days after the Air India pilot association - Indian Commercial Pilots' Association (ICPA)- had written to new chief, Tata Sons' Chairman N Chandrasekaran, to restore their emoluments. 

Chandrasekaran was appointed the new Chairman of Air India on March 14. That came after Turkish national Ilker Ayci declined to be the Chief Executive Officer of the airline. On October 8, 2021, the government announced that Talace Private Limited -- a wholly-owned subsidiary of Tata Sons -- had won the bid to acquire debt-laden Air India. Tata had outbid a consortium led by SpiceJet promoter Ajay Singh by offering Rs 18,000 crore.

Also read: Air India pilots write to N Chandrasekaran to restore full pay, other benefits