'Air India' Pilots Urge Govt to Allow them to Quit without Serving Notice Periods

Guwahati, December 25, 2019:

In view of the uncertainty looming over the fate of Air India, the pilot union of the airlines has requested the Central government to allow them to quit from their service, without serving their notice periods.

This was stated by the Indian Commercial Pilots' Association, in a letter to Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, and a copy was also sent to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other senior Union Ministers.

The pilot union in its letter stated, “With this uncertainty over the survival of our national carrier and with no 'Plan B', we request you to ensure that we are not treated like bonded labour and allow us to quit Air India without serving the notice period and clear all our dues immediately. It is unfair for the Government of India to keep us bonded with the notice period while we are not being paid on time and our dues are not cleared.”

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In the letter, it has been stated that 65 pilots have tendered their resignations and are serving the six-month notice period which is due for completion very soon.

"Most of these pilots are experienced 'CAT 3 B' qualified co-pilots and are potential commanders. We are losing these experienced co-pilots to other air carriers who value them and have understood the importance of their experience and are willing to recruit them by paying the bond money amounting to tens of lakhs of rupees. Experienced commanders are also waiting to join other air carriers on completion of their respective notice period," the letter added.

Currently, the union possesses 800 pilots as its members.

The union, in its letter, complained that in the last 2-3 years, its members have not received salaries and flying allowances on time. Presently, flying allowance constitutes 70 per cent of pilots' pay package.

Claiming that its member has been facing severe financial constraints due to delay in flying allowance, the union added, “We humbly request you to clear our legitimate dues without any further delay as stated by you as our patience is running thin and we are in no position to continue working with uncertainty looming large over Air India. We do not want to face the same fate as other employees of 21 private carriers that have shut down and further add to the rising unemployment in India. We hope the Government of India will be sensitive towards our concerns and ensure our livelihood is not affected.”

The Civil Aviation Minister in a statement said that if 'Air India' is not privatized by March 31, 2020, the airline will be shut down as "a matter of concern".

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