Allow us to quit without serving notice, clear our dues: Air India pilots to Centre

NEW DELHI: With a big question mark on Air India's survival, the airline's pilots have asked the government to waive off their notice period requirement for quitting and clear their dues. They have also told aviation minister H S Puri that delayed payment of salaries, mainly flying allowance which constitutes over 70℅ of their pay, has led many to default on their EMIs."Sir, your statement that if Air India is not privatized by March 31, 2020 then (it) will be shut down, is a matter of concern. With this uncertainty over the survival of our national carrier and 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 ... we are in no position to continue working with uncertainty looming large at AI. 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," the pilots' union of erstwhile India. Airlines, Indian Commercial Pilots Association (ICPA), has said in a letter to Puri. 72963407 AI pilots are yet to be paid flying allowance of October. " ... we are facing severe financial constraints due to delay in flying allowance ... We have been living with uncertainty for the past 2-3 years, and many employees have defaulted on their loan and other payments ... As on date 65 pilots have tendered their resignation and are serving the six months' notice period which is due for completion very soon," the letter adds.Most of those who have put in their papers 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," it adds.The government is going to make a second attempt to sell off AI. The airline has virtually run out of funds and has sought sovereign guarantee to raise Rs 2,400 crore as loan and somehow continue flying this fiscal.

from Economic Times https://ift.tt/2MqGFqU