The Indian Pilots' Guild plans to meet Air India Chairman and Managing Director Arvind Jadhav on Thursday to put across its stand on the management's directives on economy-class travel.
"We are meeting the chairman on Thursday to express our view point on his recent directive, barring Air India staff from travelling in business-class/first-class," an IPG member said in Mumbai on Tuesday.
The apex body is opposed to the move on the ground that it would not fetch any financial benefits to the national carrier, the pilot said, adding, "During the meet, IPG would offer alternative strategies which will result in effective means of controlling costs and boosting revenue."
The IPG is the top body of Air India pilots.
The pilots' contention is that the government-run airline does not incur extra cost on staff on leave tickets as the facility is subject to availability of tickets. This means that staff proceeding on leave and utilising SOL tickets will get seats only if there are available on that particular sector. Hence, the company incurs no cost, the Guild said.
An Air India circular dated May 21 had stated that the company was passing through a critical situation and to improve passenger revenue in the business/first class, it has been decided that with immediate effect, all categories of employees (serving or retired) or their families/dependents, including the chairman, will travel only in economy class.
"While the IPG fully appreciates the effects of the economic recession on the aviation industry in general, and on Air India in particular, the airline must also ensure that pilots are physically and mentally alert when they subsequently operate a flight," the pilot said.
Pilots are sent as passengers to a station in order to operate a flight out of that place.
"This kind of passenger flying undertaken by pilots is known as staff on duty. In such a case, after travelling to a particular station (from where he is to operate a flight), he is given a minimum rest of 12 hours, after which he is expected to operate a flight back to the station," the pilot said.
Pilots flying frequently on the US routes can't be given a 48-hour long break due to commercial reasons, unlike passengers who take that much time to recover from the effects of jet-lag, the IPG member said.
Therefore, the company has to ensure that when a pilot travels on SOD, he is provided with a certain minimum level of comfort, he said.
Keeping this fact in mind, it was agreed by the management that pilots, when on SOD, will be given a higher class to travel to enable them to rest on board prior to operating a flight," the pilot said.