Air India has announced a revision in pilot salaries, offering hikes of 8% to 15% as the airline works to strengthen its pilot workforce and improve career progression across the Air India Group. Senior commanders will receive the highest increases, while the hikes will gradually reduce across other ranks.
Under the new framework, first officers and co-pilots will have an opportunity to move into command positions at Air India Express, which operates single-aisle aircraft, before progressing to Air India’s wide-body fleet, where pilots receive higher compensation. The move is aimed at creating a clearer career path within the group while making Air India Express more attractive to pilots and addressing manpower requirements for its Boeing 737 fleet.
Air India will continue to offer pilots a guaranteed payment equivalent to 40 flying hours each month, regardless of their actual flying time. However, the airline has increased flying allowance rates, particularly for hours flown beyond the guaranteed 40-hour threshold. The revised structure is intended to bring pilot compensation closer to industry levels while providing additional rewards for higher flying hours.
The salary revision comes as Air India prepares to restore international flight operations that were reduced following the West Asia crisis. The airline is expected to bring international services back to levels seen in January and February next month. The continued closure of Pakistan’s airspace has resulted in longer flight routes, increased flying times and a greater requirement for pilots.
Under the revised pay structure, a senior commander flying around 55 hours a month will earn approximately ₹8.3 lakh, compared with ₹7.5 lakh earlier. A first officer flying the same number of hours will earn around ₹3.3 lakh, up from slightly more than ₹3 lakh.
The airline has also reduced privilege leave from 30 days to 24 days, while weekly days off will continue to remain separate from leave.
Since the Tata Group took control of Air India and Air India Express in January 2022, the group’s fleet has expanded significantly from around 100 aircraft to approximately 300. As part of its latest strategy, Air India Express will become the primary pathway for pilots seeking command upgrades, after which they can progress to Air India and operate wide-body aircraft. Air India Express pilots operating Boeing 737 aircraft will also receive a dedicated fleet allowance under the new framework.
