Tata Group's Air India offers VRS to employees for a second time

New Delhi: For a second time, Air India offered voluntary retirement for its non-flying staff on Friday. After Tata Group took over the airlines in January last year, it had offered the same earlier, The Economic Times reported.

The company made the offer for permanent general cadre officers over the age of 40 years, who have completed a minimum of five years of continuous service at the airline, PTI reported.

Also, clerical and unskilled categories of employees who completed a minimum of five years of continuous service will be eligible.

Further, clerical and non-skilled employees who completed at least five years of continuous service were also offered VRS. The offer is open till April 30.

According to sources, around 2,100 employees are eligible to apply for the latest VRS offer. At the moment, Air India has around 11,000 staff. This includes both flying and non-flying staff.

It was in June 2022 the company first offered the VRS offer.

Employees had requested for extension of additional benefits to other permanent employees also. It was in reply to this request the airlines announced the second phase of the voluntary retirement offer, according to the company's Chief Human Resources Suresh Dutt Tripathi.

A communication sent by Tripathi said, "The employees who apply for voluntary retirement from 17th March 2023 to 30th April 2023 will also be provided with an ex-gratia amount as a one-time benefit."

"Eligible employees who apply up to 31st March 2023 will receive Rs 1 lakh over and above the ex-gratia amount."

Sources informed that around 1,500 employees, out of the eligible 4,200, opted for the VRS in the first phase. Then also, both flying and non-flying staff were covered.

The airlines announced Vihaan.AI last September. This focuses on various goals to be achieved over five years.