Jet to take a decision soon on expat pilots issue: CEO

Faced with the demand by Indian pilots of Jet Airways for removal of all expatriate pilots of the airline, the company's management, which has proposed salary cut for most of its employees, today said it would take a decision soon on the issue.

Jet Airways' Chief Executive Officer Wolfgang Proch-Schaeur said the management had yet not taken any decision on the issue.

"We are still deliberating and have not yet taken any decision on the matter. But a decision (on reducing the mumber of expat pilots) is expected soon," he said.

The airline is understood to have mooted a proposal whereby the number of expat pilots would be reduced by 15 per cent as a cost-pruning measure following a demand by Indian pilots.

Of the total 1,000-odd pilots, the carrier has over 200 expat pilots, deployed especially on its wide-body aircraft fleet.

The Society for Welfare of Indian Pilots (SWIP), a pilots body of Jet Airways, is understood to have conveyed to the Jet management that all expat pilots should be removed.

"We will not settle for less.... All the expat pilots must go (from the airline)," a senior Jet Airways pilot told PTI here today on condition of strict anonymity.

"We are ready to co-operate with the company and willing to negotiate on salary cut proposals but the management (of Jet Airways) should first remove the expat pilots," he said.

The Indian pilots' contention is that expat pilots earn 40-50 per cent more than them and hence cost-cutting must begin with them.

"If the company is talking about pruning costs, it should start from these (expat) pilots whose salary packages are 40-50 per cent more than the domestic pilots," he said.