How are salaries of Air India pilots structured?

Although domestic carrier Indian Airlines merged into Air India in 2007 and a joint company called the National Aviation Company of India Ltd (NACIL) was formed in 2007, there are two salary structures for pilots belonging to these entities due to the different nature of their flying duties. The salary structure of pilots of Air India, which flew international routes, is referred to as NACIL(A) and that of pilots of erstwhile Indian Airlines, which flew mostly domestic routes, is referred to as NACIL(I).

Broadly, pilots from Air India, or for that matter any airline, can be divided into two categories — Flying Officers (FO) or co-pilots and Commanders (CO). Besides these pilots, airlines in India have hired expatriate pilots in recent years due to a shortage of Senior Commanders or Commanders who are type-rated, meaning Commanders who are certified to fly a certain new category of aircraft such as a Boeing 777 or an Airbus A-340. Expatriate pilots get higher salaries because they are contract employees. They also cost higher as their airline has to bear their living expenses, among others. Their package ranges between Rs 10-15 lakh per month.

Co-pilots in NACIL(A) earn between Rs 1.5-2.6 lakh per month, while senior co-pilots make Rs 3-4 lakh per month. In NACIL(I), the range is between Rs 70,000 and Rs 1 lakh per month for co-pilots.

NACIL(A) Commanders’ salaries start in the Rs 4-5 lakh bracket per month and go up to Rs 7-8 lakh per month. NACIL(I) Commanders’ salaries start at Rs 1.8 lakh per month and go up to Rs 6 lakh for senior commanders. These are basic figures calculated on flying hours ranging between 60 and 80 hours per month.

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