Pilot union writes to AI chairman outlining salary issue

Pilot Union of Indian Airlines' Indian Commercial Pilots' Association (ICPA), on Wednesday wrote to AI chairman P S Kharola complaining about rising stress due to financial issues.

Complaining about the non-payment of flying allowance, the letter read, "While a greater number of employees have collected their pay in full, we Pilots, are yet to receive the Flying Allowance which constitutes to 80% of our pay package. In-spite of several requests in the past not to bifurcate salary and Flying allowance for pilots, it is being ignored. We are awaiting Flying Allowance for the work done in the month of October. There is already a backlog of one month Flying Allowance. This unspecified delay in Flying Allowance has impaired our financial planning and credentials to boundless breadth."

Outlining that majority of pilots have defaulted on their bank loans and credit card payments while the rest had to arrange funds by taking further loans, the letter asserts that situation has put a lot of stress on pilots.

Emphasising that the situation has made it very difficult to work stress-free, the ICPA also informed the AI chairman about their decision to observe "Flight Safety Week".