Time for a rethink?

The passive-aggressive stance of private airlines discouraging unionisation among pilots needs to change

Idon’t know how many readers will remember the drama that led to the formation of India’s first private airline pilots union — National Aviators’ Guild — in 2009. The airline did everything to prevent the formation of the guild and even dismissed two pilots who were the prime movers. The two were subsequently reinstated after the rest of the pilots went on strike. In one of his emotionally charged moments — and with Naresh Goyal there were many such — the chairman of the airline even referred to the pilots’ as “terrorists”, escalating the matter. Trade unions across India supported the pilot’s move. The drama ended with the pilots’ winning the battle and the formation of the guild.

India’s low-fare private airlines too have been extremely wary and have subtly discouraged union formation. The Indian Constitution reinforces the right of workers to form unions and therefore the airlines do no expressly bar it but a sort of unwritten policy of “divide and rule” operates.

Pilots are licensed and entirely dependent on the airlines and DGCA for renewal of licenses and progression in their careers. As a result, they always find themselves in a less than happy bargaining position with both their employers and the DGCA authorities. The management pilots — who are typically DGCA recruits and pay obeisance to it - and DGCA work in cahoots and often join hands to harass or as they themselves put it “teach a lesson” to an errant pilot. I know of several pilots who have in the past paid the price of rubbing either a DGCA official or the management pilot in the airline the wrong way — at times for no fault of his. The matter becomes one of personal vendetta — a tool to “fix” the guy who fails to fall in line.

As a result, any attempt by pilots and commanders to unite is frowned upon heavily by airline managements. An IndiGo pilot recently narrated an incident to me where an email floated among the airline’s pilot community listing some of the troubles faced by the pilots with the subject line of “Lal Salaam”. The pilot who sent out the original email was apparently asked to go. In general, therefore — and this is true across airlines — pilots do not make their unhappiness known, and certainly not publicly, for fear of the consequences.

In the airlines’ defence, I’d like to state here that I can, to an extent, appreciate their apprehension. Dealing with one typical pilot can be a thankless task — let alone hundreds. Barring some remarkable exceptions, over 20 years of writing on aviation and interacting with the pilot community has failed to endear this lot to me as I have slowly grasped their inability to look beyond their own noses, their limited understanding of how the business operates and their crassness in speech and thought. I remember a time when aviation journalists including me asked each other for a “knowledgeable” pilot in this airline or the other — so rare was such a bird to come by!

Airline managements often chose the biggest and most aggressive of the lot within their senior commanders to be put in charge to deal with the juniors who could only understand one language (read: abusive). The man in charge of the pilots needed to be doubly resourceful — to be able to tackle the pilots on the one hand and demanding DGCA officials on the other.

I have to say things are changing fast. The younger lot who are coming in and now taking command are less narrowly focused, more aware and far more articulate. I would even say the attitude and sensitivity of pilots seems to be rising with time. This should be welcomed by the airlines as well as us — regular fliers. It would be nice to know that the person in charge of your life during your flight is able to think beyond allowances and is mature enough to carry out his duties in a responsible and accountable manner. We are getting there but are not quite there yet.

This is what leads me to believe that airlines too need to change their attitude in their handling of pilots. And I know this may sound absurd to airline chiefs but in these times of acute shortage, it may even be to the benefit of the airline to allow some unity to develop among pilots. Assuming the relationship would always be adversorial ensures it always is.