A Glance at the Indian Market Shows it's 'Negotiating Season' Over There, Too

India's Akasa Air announced a pay increase with a handful of QoL improvements, following the recent trend of enhanced compensation as carriers all over the globe struggle to keep pilots on the roster.

The carrier caught attention with a straight, apparently drama-free decision to increase pilot compensation by 40% off the bat, with slight drops in base pay hours from 45 to 40 hours. Additionally, allowances for deadhead and layovers were increased. For those looking to climb their way up the ladder as quickly as possible, a criteria change for "Senior Captain" grade was changed from 1,000 hours in type, to 4 years as Pilot in Command. For the younger pilots, the minimum flight hours condition was removed from training agreements entirely.

Akasa Air is a relative newcomer in the Indian market, riding a surge of expanding travel demand in the region, boasting the "youngest fleet in global aviation". The line began service in August of 2022, starting out with a fleet of 18 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft. Since then, the operation has continued to grow, reaching the point where pilot retention became a running issue. Much like the US market, pilots are in demand, and the fix is a simple - if dear - one. Better pay and living conditions... but having some cool aircraft also helps.

FMI: www.akasaair.com