Air India Express pilots are seeking a minimum flying allowance of 70 hours under the airline’s revised pay structure, even as the carrier has raised pilot salaries by 10-15% on average across cadres, according to airline sources.
The revised structure, announced a couple of weeks ago, includes a variable component linked to flying hours. Pilots currently receive a minimum flying allowance equivalent to 40 hours, irrespective of whether they fly 40 hours or fewer in a month. They are now seeking to raise the guaranteed minimum to 70 hours, in line with IndiGo’s structure.
The minimum flying allowance was 70 hours at Air India Express before the Covid-19 pandemic. It was subsequently reduced to 20 hours as flight operations remained subdued and was later rationalised to the current 40-hour level.
According to airline sources, pilots have welcomed the salary increase but are seeking a higher guaranteed flying-hours component. The airline, however, believes its higher base salaries enable pilots to earn compensation comparable with IndiGo, where the fixed base salary is relatively lower. The performance-linked component also provides scope for higher earnings depending on flying.
The airline is in a growth phase and faces operational limitations, making a significant increase in guaranteed flying hours difficult at present, sources said.
The issue comes against concerns raised by the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) India over the loss of experienced pilots across the Air India Group, particularly Air India Express. In an open letter to Tata Sons chairman Noel Tata, ALPA flagged concerns over pay, benefits and working conditions and called for scrutiny of cockpit experience levels.
ALPA also cited three operational occurrences in 2026, while clarifying that it was not attributing the incidents to pilot experience or prejudging ongoing investigations.
Airline sources pointed to improvements in compensation and employment terms. Besides the 10-15% salary increase, pilots completing 2.5 years can now choose their base. However, several pilots prefer Delhi and Mumbai, while the airline operates across around eight bases and cannot accommodate all pilots at the two locations.
The airline has also introduced an additional leave provision when mandatory rest coincides with scheduled leave. The developments come as Air India Express expands its network while balancing pilot compensation with operational requirements.