Air India pilots getting Rs 8,000 per month

New Delhi: Pilots in the private sector are usually among the highest paid professionals in India. But executive pilots who are counted as part of Air India's management have, for the past few 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 spearheading 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. We pilots are getting pittance as 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 spokesperson could not be reached for comment on this issue.
However, with the management showing little sign of relenting, the strike could be a long-drawn affair.
28/09/09 Saurabh Sinha & Neha Lalchandani/Times of India

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Categories: NACIL Sep 2009