Air India lifts retirement age for pilots and non-flying staff

New Delhi: Air India will increase the retirement age for its pilots to 65 and for non-flying staff to 60, up from the current limit of 58 for both groups, according to sources on Friday.

The change was announced during a meeting led by CEO and MD Campbell Wilson, the sources said. The move aligns Air India’s superannuation age with that of Vistara, the former Tata Group–Singapore Airlines joint venture.

Air India employs about 24,000 people, including roughly 3,600 pilots and nearly 9,500 cabin crew. It remains unclear whether the retirement age for cabin crew, currently 58, will also be increased.

While the formal retirement age for Air India pilots has been 58, many have had their service extended until 65, the maximum allowed by India’s aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).

The merger with Vistara prompted discontent among some Air India pilots over differing retirement ages between the two airlines.

There was no immediate official comment from the Tata Group–owned carrier.

PTI sources