SpiceJet has deferred up to 50 per cent of the salary of a major part of its workforce, for the month of April, affecting several employees, including pilots and cabin crew. Junior staff, such as drivers have been spared the salary deferment and have received full salaries.
The affected staff have had 10 to 50 per cent of their April salary deferred. According to media reports, the airline’s chairperson and MD will forego his entire salary for April. The Airline will pay the deferred amount when things start looking up for the sector.
The pandemic has affected the aviation sector more than any other. To manage the situation, in June 2020, SpiceJet had introduced a new salary structure for its pilots. For the first time in the history of the aviation industry, its pilots were told they would receive their payouts based on the fleet utilisation of the airline. The decision had been brought into effect immediately at the time.
Pilots were informed that from April to July 2020, they would be paid only for the hours flown, at the rate of Rs 6,020 per hour.
Now, with the second wave of the pandemic being more brutal than the first, the airlines are once again reeling under the impact.
Not long ago, in February 2021, loaders employed with SpiceJet had protested against salary cuts and had gone on strike at Mumbai airport. This had caused delays in baggage delivery. The loaders had been receiving just half their salaries for months. As they had no idea when their salaries would be restored to their original sums, the staff, including drivers of loading vehicles, had finally resorted to a strike.
