Air India has introduced a new work model for its pilots called “Flexi Contract for Pilots.”
As part of this new initiative, flight crews will be able to choose shorter duty patterns while keeping operations running smoothly. With this, the airline aims to match the preferences of pilots regarding roster needs, with the goal of maintaining a work-life balance while ensuring efficiency.
The new policy applies to Line Pilots and Line Training Captains on the A320, B777, and A350 fleets. However, Junior First Officers, Type Rating Instructors, and Direct Entry pilots are not eligible for this program.
The contract has two fixed patterns: 15 days on and 15 days off for wide-body aircraft and 20 days on and 10 days off for narrow-body aircraft. Additionally, the annual leaves for pilots will be aligned with the mentioned rosters: 8 privilege and 4 sick leaves for wide-body pilots, and 12 privilege and 6 sick leaves for narrow-body pilots.
This contract will be applicable for 12 months, after which it can be extended at the company’s discretion. Once the contract is over, the pilots will return to their original work model. Anyone who wants to exit the program will need to give a three-month notice. The company can revert a contracted pilot to the original terms if required. This will not change the payment terms that were established before the start of the flexi contract.
The pilots will be selected for this program via an Expression of Interest process, with seniority and operational needs shaping the final list, Air India revealed. If a contracted pilot is selected for a fleet or command upgrade, they will return to the original work model. If an upgrade is refused, the existing career policy on freezes applies.
Pay for pilots will follow a calculator shared with the crew. The minimum availability for a month will be set at 12 days for wide-body and 15 days for narrow-body to receive 40 hours of pay. However, pay for flying above 40 hours will be paid as per the original contract.
Trainer, wide-body, deadhead and layover allowances will stay protected. Additionally, car lease and NPS EMIs are adjusted against flexi salary components. On off-days, pilots will remain exclusively engaged with the airline and are not permitted to take on outside work. Loss of License coverage will continue, including on off-days, and medical insurance will remain unchanged. Seniority will continue to be protected, and base and merit/demerit processes will remain unchanged under the contract.
Leave bidding, under the flexi contract terms, will run on an ad-hoc system, and all previous bids will be forfeited. Total bid points during the tenure will be 20 for wide-body and 30 for narrow-body pilots. Once the flexi contract is over, pilots will join the next regular leave-bidding cycle.
The process runs in two cycles, one beginning in January 2025 and the other in March 2025. Slots are allocated by seniority. According to the plan, commanders have 50 A320 slots at Bengaluru, Delhi and Hyderabad, 30 B777 slots at Mumbai and Bengaluru, and 20 A350 slots at Delhi. First officers have 20 A320 slots at Bengaluru, Mumbai and Hyderabad, 70 B777 slots at Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru, and A350 slots to be announced for Delhi.
