Tatas give Air India new management structure, partially restore Covid time pay cuts – Times of India

NEW DELHI: Within three months of taking over Air India, the new owner — Tata Group — has now given the Maharaja a new management structure and reversed the steep pandemic-time pay cuts that take employees closer to their good old salaries.
Tata Sons senior VP Nipun Aggarwal — who played a crucial role in acquiring AI — has been made the accountable manager and chief commercial officer.
Suresh Dutt Tripathi, who was VP (HR) at Tata Steel from 2012 to 2021, will now be AI’s chief human resource officer. Tata Digital’s head of technology and a former TCS hand, Satya Ramaswami, will be the chief digital and technology officer.
And another ex-TCS Rajesh Dogra will be head of customer experience. “The new appointees will exercise the powers of functional / departmental heads as per delegation of authority. We wish them all the very best in their new role,” Chandrasekaran’s order on “organisational changes at AI says” issued Thursday said.
Veteran pilot Captain R S Sandhu will remain chief of operations and Vinod Hejmadi has been reappointed as chief financial officer.
Two board members, Meenakshi Mallik (commercial) and Amrita Sharan (personnel), will be adviser to AI and Tata Sons chairman N Chandrasekaran till and then to AI CEO when the airline fills that position. “We look forward to their continued guidance, support, and insights for a successful transformation,” Chandrasekaran’s order said.
Meanwhile, Tatas have also begun reversing AI employees’ steep pandemic-time pay cuts. Other airlines like IndiGo and Vistara have also partially rolled back pay cuts following widespread discontentment among employees. These airlines have promised to further review pay cuts in coming months depending on business recovery and whether there are any more disruptions to traffic for any reason.
From April 1, AI pilots’ flying allowance and special cuts will reduce from 35% and 40% of pre-Covid levels to 15% each.
Pilots’ overtime rates have also been reviewed. Cabin crew flying allowance (that forms a major part of their salary) will now be 5% lower than pre-Covid levels, instead of 15% so far.
Wide body allowance for crew operating twin aisle Boeing aircraft will now be 15% lower than pre-2024 level instead of the steep 40% for pilots and 20% for cabin crew.
Among other employees, the allowance cuts for AI officers has been halved from 50% to 25%; and for staff and operators the 30% allowance cuts have been fully restored. The gross emoluments cuts for local employees at foreign stations has been halved from 10% (subject to a maximum of $300) to 5%.
“As the hope of a post-pandemic world seems within reach and the aviation sector takes off once again with some visible changes in our performance, we are happy to inform you that your salary cuts have been reviewed and the restoration of salaries will happen in a phased manner… changes will be implemented from April 1, 2022,” AI management said in a communication to employees on Friday.
“For pilots and cabin crew, international and domestic layover allowance remain unchanged and rates applicable in March 2022 will continue. For pilots, cabin crew and other employees – all specific allowances attached to a post or role and other contingent allowances remain unchanged and rates applicable in March 2022 will continue to be applicable,” the communication adds.
All Pilots available for flying will continue to be paid fixed 20 hours of flying allowance or actuals, whichever is higher in a month.
“All deductions will be reviewed again in coming few months and changes will be communicated to you… We will also be soon releasing pilot and cabin crew handbook with details on performance guidelines and other policies…As we embark upon this journey to make Air lndia a world-class airline, each of you is key to fulfilling this vision. With customer centricity, performance orientation, and accountability as our bedrock, let us all look ahead, fly higher and make Air India the best and most loved airline,” it added.