Turbulence at Jet continues: Parts of pilots’ salaries ‘deferred’

Mumbai: Impending salary cuts at the country’s largest private domestic carrier, Jet Airways, became crystal clear after 780 pilots and about a thousand engineering staff members received cuts in their salaries with October’s pay. And, while the festive season lost its sheen for these employees, non-managerial staff members including Jet’s cabin crew, their ground duty staff and others received Diwali bonuses along with their monthly remuneration.
To the pilots and engineering staffers, salary cuts came in the form of their retention bonus being cut. “I did get my salary this month but the retention bonus of Rs 20,000 that I get every month is not there,” a Grade 5 aircraft maintenance engineer (AME) told Newsline. Engineering staff at Jet say that they are entitled to a retention bonus of Rs 1,20,000 every six months, which is paid in instalments of Rs 20,000 every month.
The pilots were not a happy lot either. “My co-pilot got only Rs 1,29,000 instead of the usual Rs 1,45,000,” said a commandant who flies for Jet.
However, a Jet spokesperson said there were no salary cuts and that staff members had been told that part of their salaries had been deferred.
According to a source, all non-managerial staff at Jet received a Diwali bonus of Rs 8,400 and another Rs 1,000 as ex-gratia payment.
“Now that we’re curtailing flights, it’s evident that there’ll be more commanders and fewer planes to fly. Therefore, Jet will be in a position to dictate terms to them (pilots),” A senior Jet official, said. Sources also confirmed that the airline will be grounding five Boeing 737-400 and two Boeing 737-NGs aircraft .
03/11/08 Shashank Shekhar/Indian Express

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Categories: Jet Airways Nov 2008