'Pay cuts, LWP pose a plausible threat to flight safety'

Air India announced up to 50 per cent reduction in monthly allowances of its employees, who have a gross monthly salary of more than Rs 25,000.

Air India's cost-cutting measures such as pay cuts and compulsory leave without pay (LWP) scheme could have "potentially disastrous psychological impact" on some employees, a leading pilots' union of the airline said on Thursday.

Moreover, more than 60 Air India pilots have tested COVID-19 positive till date, the Executive Pilots Association (EPA) told Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri in a letter.

Air India on Wednesday announced up to 50 per cent reduction in monthly allowances of its employees, who have a gross monthly salary of more than Rs 25,000.

"We shudder to think of the kind of desperate and extreme acts that could be triggered off because of the prevailing situation - as has been repeatedly proven many times in the past," the EPA said on Thursday.

"Our association is...extremely concerned about the potentially disastrous psychological impact that the massive forced pay cuts and Compulsory LWP scheme may create on some employees," it added.

The EPA termed the cuts in monthly allowances of pilots as "discriminatory, disproportionate and arbitrary".

In another step to rationalise staff costs, the airline issued an internal order on July 14 asking its departmental heads and regional directors to identify employees, based on various factors like efficiency, health and redundancy, who will be sent on compulsory leave without pay (LWP) for up to five years.

Moreover, the carrier said employees can voluntarily opt for the LWP scheme too.

The EPA said the "adverse" policy decisions taken by Air India "pose an extremely serious and plausible threat to flight and public safety".

It also said: "As of date, at least 60 plus pilots have been tested COVID-positive. Furthermore, unlike other wars, the enemy has accompanied the warriors home to affect their family members with devastating effect."

At least one pilot has lost a family member to COVID-19 and those of many others have been infected, the EPA said.

"With a steady rise in cases, the situation can only get worse from now on," it added.

Scheduled international passenger flights continue to remain suspended in India since March 23.

However, Air India has been operating a significant number of special flights to and from countries around the world under the Vande Bharat Mission to help stranded people reach their destinations.

The aviation sector has been significantly impacted due to the travel restrictions imposed in India and other countries in view of the coronavirus pandemic.

All airlines in India have taken cost-cutting measures such as pay cuts, LWP and firing of employees in order to conserve cash.

On Monday, India's largest airline IndiGo had announced it would lay off 10 per cent of its workforce due to the economic crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

However, Air India announced on Thursday that none of its employees will be laid off.

India resumed domestic passenger flights from May 25 after a gap of two months due to the coronavirus pandemic.

However, the airlines have been allowed to operate only a maximum of 45 per cent of their pre-COVID domestic flights.

Occupancy rate in Indian domestic flights has been around just 50-60 per cent since May 25.

Photograph: PTI Photo