Air Deccan questions
 

hello to all

this post is directed towards anyone currently working for Deccan:

I am considering leaving my position in the US as ATR capt for a contract position at Deccan, I have reviewed the contract and what stands out noticeably is the 5 year commitment and the salary.( Granted it's more generous than my current package)

my
biggest questions are

- how negotiable are the contract lengths?
- what can I realistically expect to make per month/ year?
- what if any Indian Taxes apply to salary?

would appreciate an helpful feedback



Cheers

Acy :ok:

youll save tons of $ over there
nothing to spend on
all its tax free in india
youll have to report back to uncle sam though

Indian Govt/ DGCA (Equivalent to FAA) wants all expat pilots out of India by June/July 2010. If they stick to that you will only have a job here for 2 years. If they don't then you will be fine for the 5 year term. I would not sign a 5 year contract. Besides the DGCA will not give you a 5 year FATA.
Sign 1-2 years and see how things go. You can always extend if needed.
I agree with the earlier post. You can save a lot as most of your expenses are paid for. Deccan SHOULD (operative word) be paying your Indian taxes (33%) so your US liability will be ZERO. AirIndia for example does not pay Indian taxes. You are on your own and considered a contractor/self-employed. So at the end of the year you get a IRS form 1099 instead of a W-2. You get nailed for all the taxes.

Don't worry about the length of the contract. It is almost irrelevant. You can end the contract with one months notice as can the airline and as mentioned the DGCA can change their mind regarding expats permission to operate there anytime.

The 5 year contract is just an indication of how long they expect to need you. Right now they are desperate for ATR crew and this doesn't look like it will end anytime soon. You can expect to work a lot, often 6 days per week. At least the overtime means the money is quite ok.