From Jan 1, IndiGo to hike pilot allowances

NEW DELHI: Jan 1 onwards, IndiGo will increase pilots’ domestic layover, deadhead, transit and night allowance, apart from introducing a new tail swap allowance.Tail swap means pilots hop over to another plane to operate another flight, which entails a series of extra checks and preparation, as opposed to operating another flight on the same aircraft they had flown in on. Captains and co-pilots will get Rs 1,500 and Rs 750 per tail swap, respectively.While many IndiGo pilots called this a “small correction”, they hoped it signals the start of undoing a series of fatigue-inducing measures that entail a punishing flight schedule under the old FDTL. “For a senior captain earning Rs 9.5 lakh, this will mean an extra Rs 15,000-20,000, which is less than 1% hike. Still, a start has been made,” said a pilot.