TNN

New Delhi, May 2: The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has given a ray of hope to pilots by rapping the knuckles of Kingfisher Airlines for misusing one of its directives. In fact, it could put other airline managements on the mat too for reducing pilot salaries arbitrarily, but refusing to allow them to leave for greener pastures.

A DGCA letter, dated April 24, 2009, to Kingfisher says it was reacting to information it had received that the airline was insisting pilots serve them for six months on reduced salary since it is a DGCA rule.

But the letter, which TOI has a copy of, informs the airline categorically, "This CAR (civil aviation requirement) on notice period shall not be made applicable on matters wherein terms and conditions of employment have been altered/amended and there is a dispute in employer-employee relationship. Such disputes may be settled in the appropriate court of law."

And that's precisely what Kingfisher and some other airlines have been doing reducing salaries, and perks of pilots and informing them simply via email. Flying hours too were reduced from 80-85 hours monthly to 55-50 hours as leased planes were sent back. "Recession was a valid reason, but that was no excuse for preventing us from leaving for better prospects," says a pilot.

The letter also informed Kingfisher that "the provisions of this CAR, Section 7, Series X, shall only be applicable wherein resignations by pilots result in cancellation of flights causing inconvenience to passengers and where such action holds the airline to ransom."

The letter has the approval of A K Chopra, jt director general, DGCA, who refused to speak. The director general was unavailable for comment too as he is out of the country. Meanwhile, Kingfishers spokesman Prakash Mirpuri, said, "We have taken note of the DGCA ruling and shall deal with the pilots who have resigned accordingly."

That CAR, incidentally, was imposed in 2005 and made it mandatory for pilots to serve a six-month notice period before quitting an airline to join another, unless the airline employing them gave a No Objection Certificate. The CAR was made when there was a severe shortage of pilots and was ostensibly meant to help passengers who were left in the lurch due to last-minute flight cancellations due to absentee pilots. However, with the present glut of pilots, mainly co-pilots, this CAR made no sense.

Though the intentions of this CAR seemed noble, pilots were arm-twisted by airlines to suit their own needs, say DGCA sources. Pilot unions then had even contemplated challenging this CAR, saying it was against labour laws.

The pilot community is now heaving a sigh of relief. Many have offers from airlines such as Indigo and Qatar Airways and could join them now. Some pilots say this CAR should be amended and read with a text of this present letter. Airlines should be asked to show how their flights are getting affected due to pilots now, says a pilot.