DGCA Notice Reeks Of Ulterior Motives
One has to go deeper and analyse the possible motives behind the DGCA CAR.
First of all the Indian DGCA believes in dealing with pilots in a high handed manner as they often act in connivance with airline management.The management of these airlines( especially a large state owned carrier) often bribe journalists with freebies and tickets to ensure that a constant tirade against pilots is maintained in the press to garner public opinion against them.A certain central government minister is known to have a personal interest in Jet Airways and hence a lot of so called ''reformist'' policies are tailormade to suit Jet's interests.Recent modifications to aviation policy allowing only private airlines with more than 5 yrs operational experience to go international and a new look terminal building at Mumbai airport are indications of the same.Infact Air India was almost arm twisted recently to sign a hub and spoke arrangement with Jet Airways to ferry AI's passengers on domestic routes.Another proposal to outsource Jet Airway's wet leased A340 on AI's routes was attempted to bail Jet out of soaring overheads caused by a temporary ban on its USA flights.
The DGCA CAR attempts to prevent an exodus of Jet Airways pilots and also creates an artificially generated shortage of pilots in the industry so as to encourage the induction of foreign pilots on contract.There are reliable sources who are aware of massive kickbacks being paid by pilot placement agencies to people holding key posts in the various agencies involved in the hiring proccess.
Also the Indian aviation boom is a bubble that is going to burst very violently.The bullish sentiment in the Indian stock markets has prompted many companies to float shares and make public share offerrings which are grossly overpriced and overvalued.Jet did that a few months ago and raked in millions of dollars.Many fledgling airlines are waiting to do the same, make a fast buck and shut shop.
There is a clear and obvious game bing played behind the scenes in Indian aviation so please don't get swayed by fancy words like "market reforms''.If the Government were so keen to improve facilities for the travelling public why did they shoot down theTATA-Singapore Airlines proposal to start a world class airline ? Because the TATA's are India's most respected company and do not pay bribes to do business.
If the Ministry Of Civil aviation wants to stop pilots from leaving the airlines at short notice in the"public interest'', I would suggest that it pulls up its own socks first and gets down to the business of regulating industry malpractices and halting massive corruption within its own walls. Indian M.Ps and Ministers switch political loyalties every second day - does that not affect public interest too?