Pilots Association writes to seek Suresh Prabhu seeking 'One Rank One Pay'

Indian Commercial Pilots Association has written to Civil Aviation Minister Suresh Prabhu seeking 'One Rank One Pay' for pilots. In the letter, the pilots association said: "We fail to understand as to why the top management has turned a blind eye to this issue which is bleeding national carrier of high-value foreign exchange."

ICPA said that it had accepted the MoCA approval on pay and allowances in 2016 after they were assured that it will be implemented on all Air India Pilots. "MoCA approval was implemented on all narrow body pilots (pilots of erstwhile Indian Airlines) but a section of Wide Body pilots continued to be paid as per their old structure," the ICPA said.

It also added that a new proposal was floated by Air India management in 2017 and was accepted by both erstwhile pilots which is yet to be approved by MoCA. "From October 2017, Air India management had started paying a section of wide body pilots an ad-hoc amount at par with the new proposal which is yet to be approved by MoCA," it said.

Half of the Flying Allowance paid to wide body pilots is still being paid in fixed US dollar exchange rate of Rs 45.50 while the present US dollar exchange rate has reached an all time high of Rs 74.00.