Air India pilots: Salary delays causing loan EMI default, stress

Air India's union representing narrow body pilots Wednesday alleged a majority of its members were defaulting on bank EMIs due to the salary delays which was also putting them under a lot of "stress".

In a letter to AI chairman and managing director Pradeep Singh Kharola, the Indian Commercial Pilots Association (ICPA) also claimed the loss-making carrier had only partially paid the pilots for October as they were yet to receive the flying allowance, which constitutes 80 per cent of their total monthly salary.

Notably, the flying allowance to the pilots at state- run airline is disbursed after 60 days. "There is already a backlog of one month flying allowance. This unspecified delay has impaired our financial planning, especially (pilots are) defaulting on loan EMI... majority of us have defaulted on bank loans and credit card payments while the rest had to arrange funds by taking further loans," ICPA said in the letter.

Air India spokesperson was, however, not available for comments on the issue.

Stating that despite several requests in the past not to bifurcate salary and flying allowance for pilots, the ICPA said, "It (our request) is being ignored. We are awaiting flying Allowance for the work done in the month of October."

This financial problem has made it extremely difficult for the pilots to work "stress free", it added.

"Stress jeopardises decision-making relevance and cognitive functioning which is fatal to flight safety," the ICPA said in the letter.