Vistara hikes salaries of pilots, cabin crew by 8% amid Gulf threat

Full-service airline Vistara will hike salaries of its pilots and cabin crew by up to 8 per cent from April amid deployment of higher capacities to meet rising post-Covid travel demand.

PTI reported on Thursday that some 30 pilots have quit the airline in the last six months and are serving notice period after getting job offers mainly from the Gulf carriers.

On Thursday, a senior Vistara official confirmed the salary hike for the pilots and cabin crew but denied that 30 pilots have left the airline.

The official also said the salary hike decision is part of the annual appraisal exercise and not triggered by any other development, adding that some pilots changed their decision to quit in view of the long-term opportunities at the airline, which is to be merged with Air India. Vistara, a joint venture between Tata Group and Singapore Airlines, has around 2,500 cabin crew and pilots.

Singapore Airlines Ltd (SIA) said in November 2022 it would emerge as a 25.1% owner of Air India as part of a deal that would merge its Vistara with Tata Sons into India's national carrier.

SIA will invest $250 million into Air India as part of the transaction, the Singaporean carrier said in a statement, with the pair aiming to complete the merger by March 2024 subject to regulatory approvals.

"As communicated earlier, management continues to review pilot salaries on a regular basis… an increment of 8 per cent in CTC will be allocated across all levels of pilots (except TFO) effective April 1. This increase will be added to the Base Flying Allowance (BFA)," Vistara said in an internal e mail to its pilots.

This increase is not in lieu of the Supplementary Allowance (SA), which will be added over and above this adjustment for eligible pilots, as per the e mail.

With inputs from PTI