Dissatisfied Flightcrew

This post shared a letter that reached the flight crew, management pilots and senior staff of an airline the original called "Blue". It was sent by an anonymous Delhi based pilot of that airline, who was unhappy with how pilots were treated. It followed some quiet resignations of senior management pilots, which the author said might be a sign of trouble at the top, or might not. By the time of the post, the email had spread beyond the airline, and other bloggers had written about it as early as 1 October.

The author stressed that the letter was anonymous and that its claims could not be checked. Names and notices mentioned in it gave it some credibility. The post was published so readers could see the hidden dissatisfaction that can sit inside any airline. It did not aim to back or harm any airline or person, only to help readers understand the feelings of flight crew, since safety depends on the people at the front of the aircraft.

What the letter said

The writer addressed the airline's promoter. He said the owner had never talked to employees or learned about their working conditions. He pointed out that profits had been announced while pilot pay stayed flat for years, and he questioned how reliable the profit figures were. The letter claimed that a group of 150 pilots was behind it and growing. It threatened collective action, including a mass sick report and a public interest case against the parent company.

It then questioned a series of company decisions: large joining bonuses for pilots from a failed airline at a time when the market was weak, the cost and quality of uniforms, a change of crew hotel in Mumbai, company parties for management, and the fact that senior commanders were paid the same as newly upgraded ones. The writer also complained that management cared more about uniforms, ties and online exams than about flying.

The demands

• A 40 percent pay rise.
• No flights on minimum rest, no roster changes once published, and an open priority list for reserve pilots who may decline a flight without action.
• The removal of certain scheduling staff and of the CEO, or an end to the CEO's interference in pilots' lives.
• Better uniforms, with blazers brought back.
• No more than one night out away from base, and hotels within 10 to 15 minutes of the airport, since in Bangalore, Chennai and Kolkata crew travelled an hour each way.
• Management pilots to fly and night stop like line pilots.
• Respect for former Air Force pilots and other civil pilots, and an apology from the CEO.
• Upgrades for original co-pilots first, with outside hires at the end of the seniority list.
• An end to threatening behaviour, to management lectures during refreshers and to online tests before refreshers.
• A number of confirmed free tickets on the airline's flights.

The letter gave a deadline of the end of the year.

Reaction

The post drew 46 comments. Some readers agreed that pilots and cabin crew need proper rest and respect. Others, including people who described themselves as working at the airline, rejected the letter. They said the parties let people speak informally, that salaries were paid on time, that management could be reached directly, and that the airline had good benefits. One reader recalled similar problems at Deccan and Kingfisher. The author thanked those who disagreed, and said that some people forget what they have once the airline is doing well. He also said that flying is an honourable profession but is given too much importance in India.