Jet Airways asks junior pilots to take unpaid leave to cut costs

The airline’s ‘lifestyle work pattern’ offers 10 days block off, implying that a pilot has to take 10 days off each month.

In a bid to cut down on its salary costs, Jet Airways has reportedly asked about 200 of its junior pilots to go on unpaid leave for 10 days each month. For the airline, that has been seeking to tighten its finances owing to decreased demand for travel to Gulf countries, this may be an interesting move to control costs, while retaining resources.

If some reports are to be believed, the airline recently e-mailed some of its junior pilots informing them that the company, over the past few months, has been intensely focussed on fleet and network rationalisation, and is working on cost efficiencies. In line with that, it also needed to revisit its manpower requirements.

Jet Airways calls it ‘lifestyle work pattern’ wherein it has offered 10 days block off. This implies that a pilot has to take 10 days off each month ‘with the appropriate remuneration’. This will help the company save 30 per cent of its salary costs.

The airline has, on the other hand, offered the option to revert by July 31, to those who do not find the terms acceptable and wish to seek alternative opportunities. Market developments, especially in the Gulf region, along with continued efforts to enhance internal efficiencies led to a review of its existing network, fleet and crew. That, in turn, resulted in the decision for an interim cost alignment.