Here comes a big relief for pilots fraternity from erstwhile Indian Airlines. Their stalemate with the management of the Air India has finally come to an end. A new interim agreement has been reached and signed between the Indian Commercial Pilots Association and the executive directors and general managers of Air India Ltd till justice Dharmadhikari report is implemented.

In a letter written by the ICPA president Capt. A. S. Bhinder to the pilot members of ICPA reveals that the conflict between the management and the pilot body is almost over.

The letter reads, “Pilots will be paid fixed emoluments of 72 hours as per the rate applicable to individual pilot. Pilots will be eligible for layover subsistence of US$ 1500 per month and $ 1000 for co-pilots. Beyond 72 hours of actual flying, pilot will be paid @ 1.5 times of their hourly rate till 85 hours of their utilization and beyond 85 hours, pilots will be paid at double the hourly rate which will be paid on monthly basis.”

The tussle between the erstwhile Indian Airlines and the Air India pilot over issue of Boeing-787 training also seems to have resolved. The letter reads, “…..the first delivery of B-787 is expected in December, 2011 and by July, 2012, six more B-787 aircrafts are expected to join the fleet totaling it to seven. It was mutually decided between the Union and the management that line seniority would be followed and pilots with 53 years of age or less as on 01/07/2012 will only be considered for training on B-787.”

The letter reveals that the co-pilots would be sent from 66th batch onwards for B-787 training.  It has also been decided that the equal number of pilots from each sides of erstwhile Indian airlines and erstwhile Air India would go on the first B-787 initially.

Last month the Indian Pilots Guild (A group representing a section of pilots of erstwhile Air India) had challenged the management's decision to train pilots of the carrier's domestic operations in flying the latest Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft.

In its petition, the Indian Pilots' Guild (IPG) has alleged discrimination on part of the management over training for Boeing-787. About this matter the ICPA president has also informed the pilot members that the ICPA is committed to fight the issue of B-787 legally in the High Court and “will do whatever it takes to secure the professional interest of all the pilots”.

Since the merger of two state-owned carriers in 2007 the issues of integration of pilots remained unresolved.