Alliance Air board to discuss pilots' salary issues this month

NEW DELHI: Alliance Air has assured pilots that restoration of salaries to the pre-COVID level will be discussed by its board later this month after a section of the airline's pilots went on strike on Friday.

The pilots' strike, which resulted in cancellation of various flights, was called off late on Friday after the airline told them that the salary issues will be looked into, according to a source in the know of the developments. Alliance Air, owned by the government, operates around 100 flights daily.

It has a fleet of 21 aircraft, including 19 ATR aircraft and 2 Dronier planes. In an internal communication on Friday, Alliance Air CEO Vineet Sood told pilots that the airline has partially restored their salaries in April.

The carrier is considering further restoration of salaries from September onward and the board will discuss the matter during its meeting scheduled for September 16, as per the communication. One of the pilots' demands is the restoration of salaries to the pre-COVID level. In the wake of the pandemic, the salaries were cut by 60 per cent and till now, the pay has not been fully restored, the source said. Alliance Air is yet to issue a statement on the pilots' strike on Friday or on salary issues.