Two pilot unions associated with Air India have asserted that there is a shortage of pilots to operate the airline’s long-haul and ultra-long haul flights. The concerns raised by the Indian Pilots Guild (IPG) and Indian Commercial Pilots Association (ICPA) also coincide with recent flight cancellations and rescheduling by the Tatas-owned airline in the North American region due to crew shortages.
In a joint letter addressed to Air India’s Chief Human Resources Officer, Suresh Dutt Tripathi, on December 13, the unions stated, “…we cannot maintain the printed planned roster due to a shortage of pilots, as the Crew Management System (CMS) does not have standby pilots.” Air India did not immediately respond to the letter.
The IPG represents pilots of wide-body planes, while the ICPA represents those operating narrow-body aircraft. The unions point out that the number of leave denials and cancellations for pilots is alarmingly high.
Additionally, the unions question the airline’s decision to hire expatriate pilots for the Boeing 777 fleet at a Cost to Company (CTC) that is “at least 80 per cent higher with significantly higher leave benefits than what is being provided to its long-serving pilots.” The letter highlights that since early 2022, the management has consistently increased the flying schedule, and the under-staffed pilot workforce has accommodated these expansion plans, facing constant roster changes and repeated pullouts, even on days off.
The Tata group took over the financially struggling Air India in January of the current year and has been focusing on expanding services and the fleet. The letter suggests that, despite public refutations by the management, there is a visible crew shortage across all fleets, particularly on the 777 fleets, where pilots have been flying well over 90 hours per month consecutively. The unions express concern that regulatory Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) may have been compromised and warn of potential involvement of regulatory authorities to address the issue.
Furthermore, the unions point out that certain components of the pay structure that existed before the coronavirus pandemic are yet to be restored. Despite contributing to Air India’s top-ranking on-time performance, the unions feel unappreciated by the management and emphasize the need for restoring pre-Covid overtime rates, especially in light of the company’s significant expansion plans.