Thiruvananthapuram: Faced with the issue of pilot shortage, Air India Express would seek the service of young pilots from Indian Air Force and Indian Navy. The budget carrier would offer attractive remuneration to pilots on par with the market standards, with a view to also reducing the attrition rate, AIE has decided.
AIE was forced to cancel many services in recent times owing to pilot shortage. While it requires at least 252 pilots, including commanders and first officers, to operate its 21 aircraft, the airline has only around 185 pilots.
Unattractive remuneration is a major reason for the scarcity of experienced pilots. "During the last few months alone, nearly ten senior pilots left AIE and joined various other airlines," AIE sources said.
Concerned, the civil aviation ministry chalked out an action plan. "We would be mainly looking for young pilots from the Air Force or Navy as well as other agencies who could be appointed as trainer commanders so that their service could be used for operating the regular services and well as in upgrading the trainee pilots and first-officers to senior positions. The civil aviation ministry will be directly contacting the defence ministry for this," said the sources.
Though the national carrier earlier made an attempt to get trained pilots from the IAF, it did not work well. Unattractive pay package has been a major hindrance, the sources added.
AI Express looks to poach IAF pilots | Deccan Chronicle