The byproduct of a joint venture between Tatas and AirAsia (Investment) Ltd., AirAsia India has an integrated workforce of around 2,500 people. Out of these as many as 600 are pilots for its 30 Airbus A320 aircraft fleet.

AirAsia, in lieu of the global pandemic of Corona-virus, has imposed slashed salaries for its pilots by an average of 40%, effective in the months of May and June. For the workforce that is employed in managerial positions and other categories, the quantum of reduction in pay remains the same as that of the month of May. The senior management at AirAsia took a hit of 20% salary cut in April, while the salaries of the people in executive posts were reduced by 7%-17%. The employees with their general salary below Rs. 50,00/month or less have been spared from this desolate action in the time of despair and desperation.

In India, the airline has been operational for approximately six years and employs around 2,500 people. As many as 600 of them are pilots for its 30 Airbus A320 aircraft fleet out of which only 15% are being used. According to the inputs given by PTI, the same pilots who were paid for 70 hours- irrespective of whether they were flying or not- have been curtailed to a reduced amount of 20 hours now. As a result of this, the average earning of a junior pilot will go down from Rs 1.40 lakh to Rs 40,000 a month. Consequently, the senior pilots will now receive only Rs 1 lakh on an average as compared to the Rs 3.45 lakh they were earning prior to the implementation of the changes.

Global aviation consultancy firm CAPA, has estimated the domestic traffic at 55-70 million (5.5-7 crore) and the international air traffic demand and requirements at 20-27 million (2-2.7 crore) for the current fiscal year which can take upto two years to recover positively from the after-effects of the pandemic.