Minister of CIVIL AVIATION (Shri Ashok Gajapathi Raju Pusapati)
(a) to (e): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.
Statement in reply to parts (a),(b),(c),(d)AND (e) OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO.472 TO BE ANSWERED ON 27.4.2015 REGARDING STRESSED AIR INDIA PILOTS BY SHRI CH. MALLA REDDY AND SHRIMAT APARUPA PODDAR, MPs.
(a) and (b): No, Madam.
(c) to (e): Indian Commercial Pilot`s Association (ICPA) in their representation addressed to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and a copy thereof to Air India had raised the following major issues pertaining to co-pilots:
i. They are being paid an ad-hoc payment
ii. They are forced to work overtime without any remunaration
iii No payment of domestic night stops which adds up to their financial burden
iv. Leave is not granted which causes illness.
In view of the fleet augmentation of Air India, an exercise for recruitment of Trainee Pilots having Commercial Pilots` Licence (CPL) from IGRUA was carried out in September, 2010 and candidates selected in this recruitment exercise were issued appointment letters as Trainee Pilot enumerating the terms and conditions of training scheme. However, before training could commence representation against the recruitment process was received which was finalized only in November, 2012.
The Board of Air India in July, 2012 has decided that pilots in future would be engaged on contract basis. Contract letters in respect of Pilots who have successfully completed training and all the required checks, was issued by Air India indicating therein the terms and conditions of their contractual appointment. These include the pay scale, payment of other allowances as admissible to other regular Pilots of Narrow Body in equivalent grade including Provident Fund, Gratuity and also their entitlement for passages, medical and leave etc. All the Pilots have been given initial contract for 5 years which is extendable for another 5 years subject to satisfactory performance.
The said co-pilots, as per the contract, would have been paid an amount of approx. , Rs.L82 lacs per month for fixed flying of 72 hours. Since they have not signed the contract letters, they are presently being paid an adhoc amount of Rs.1.50 lacs per months. The average flying of these co-pilots is approx. 60.35 hours per month, which is less than the average flying hours of a regular co-pilot on A-320 family aircraft. As per DGCA CAR, they can fly to a maximum of 1000 hours in a year which is about 84 hours per month. Also there is no payment for domestic night stop to a regular pilot in Air India. The said pilots are being provided with hotel accommodation, pickup & drop facility for operating the domestic sector night stop. The regulatory leave in respect of these pilots are being strictly complied. As regards obligatory leave from the employers perspective, the same are granted to these pilots on case to case basis taking into account the operational and other requirements in the Regions and the reasons behind the leave requisition. These pilots have been advised to accept / sign the contract letter and on the post-acceptance, they will be entitled to all the terms and conditions mentioned in the said contract letter.
