On Saturday i.e., July 2, 2022 as per reports only 55% of Indigo’s flights could operate on time.
Reason – Significant number of cabin crew members took sick leave.
As per industry sources – majority of IndiGo’s cabin crew members who took sick leave had gone for Air India’s recruitment drive.
This event should not be ignored.
- IndiGo is India’s largest airline and currently operates approximately 1,600 flights daily – domestic and international. 45% disruption in this kind of scale is unprecedented.
- Compared to Indigo, the on-time performances of other airlines (susceptible to hiring by Air India) on that day was significantly higher. SpiceJet – 80.4% and Go First – 88%.
- Staff troubles at Indigo are nothing new. Recently in April 2022 also the airline had suspended some pilots as there were efforts to organize a mass protest against Indigo’s pay cuts implemented during the Covid period. During the peak of the pandemic, Indigo had cut the salaries of it’s pilots by as much as 30 per cent.
- On April 1, the airline had announced increase in the salaries of pilots by 8 per cent. It said that another hike of 6.5 per cent will be implemented from November onwards in case there are no disruptions. However, as per reports, a section of pilots remained unsatisfied and decided to organise a strike.
It’s loud and clear that IndiGo really needs to relook at it’s manpower policies asap. Feedback from it’s staff cannot be any clearer.
As an analyst, I am very concerned with these occurrences at the Company – especially given the expected increase in competition from Tatas (AI and Vistara), Akasa and the revived Jet Airways.
IndiGo now faces trouble from technicians at Hyderabad & Delhi. Significant number of them took mass leave to protest against poor increments.
IndiGo had cut salaries by about 28% at the peak of Covid and now after two partial roll backs, current pay is now lower by about 16% from pre-2020 levels.
Go First technicians have also gone on sick leave since Sunday (July 10, 2022).
The anger among technicians is over low salaries, particularly after not being paid for nearly 18 months of the Covid period (April 2020 to November 2021). A technician earns a monthly salary of Rs 19,403, and a senior technician earns Rs 22,098.
The protest is reported to have spread to atleast 14 stations and as per reports about 110 cabin crew have also reported sick.
Indigo has informed to bring the pilots salaries back to pre covid levels from November 2022 –
Previously the Airline has increased salaries by 8% in March and another 8% wef August 2022.
This takes care of the 28% cut that was imposed during Covid.