Air India Express is at it again
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Air India Express is at it again
Looks like the lads at AIX are in desperate need of 20 skippers
Rishworth Aviation is once again pleased to provide a most generous contract. As usual, no one at Rishworth is willing to answer key questions.
Air India Express offers the following benefits:
Rishworth Aviation is once again pleased to provide a most generous contract. As usual, no one at Rishworth is willing to answer key questions.
Air India Express offers the following benefits:
- Monthly Salary: US$12,360 per month*
* Retention: Air India Express will retain USD1,000 per month which will be reimbursed to you on the yearly anniversary of your contract. - Commuting roster: 8 weeks on duty, 2 weeks off duty.
- Contract Term: 3 years renewable, subject to DGCA extension approval
- Excellent travel benefits with tickets provided for travel on Air India Express network
- Operating Duty Station: Southern India - Kochi / Thiruvananthapuram**
** Please note that you may be allocated a different operating duty station by the airline.
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AIX!!
Not to mention getting only a validation on your home country licence which you must keep valid every 12 months at your expense!! and perpetual back of the clock flights to the M/East!!!......happy days......Not!!
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My favourite is the $1,000 monthly retention. In translation. Monthly Salary $11,360. Income for the Form 16 $12,360. equals $1,000 in someone's pocket. Good luck collecting the so-called amount withheld.
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It will take several weeks, months to get on line. Visa processing, security clearance, DGCA interview, DGCA medical, FATA etc etc. At least you will miss the monsoons!!
I know they do have some bases other than the South, but only for a select few.
I know they do have some bases other than the South, but only for a select few.
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Hello guys, sorry to get off topic, but can anyone associated with AI express or someone who has knowledge about functioning of AI express, i would like to know how are they doing with the First Officers?? Will they be recruiting anytime soon, from sources i get to know that they are facing acute shortage of crew, but then why no hiring!!!
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Will they be recruiting anytime soon, from sources i get to know that they are facing acute shortage of crew, but then why no hiring!!!
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As per the info i have, they do need Co-pilots and they need them pretty badly.. but they will hire Type Rated guys. I believe they had come out with openings for type rated people last year and people had already applied. I guess they will be calling those who had applied earlier before coming out with the new advt. Anyone who has applied, or got called for the examination or if someone could just throw some light....
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How many are they hiring?
Hi, Any idea if this ad is an add on to an earlier requirement AIX had projected in Jan this year. Last news was that they had shortlisted 22 Capts/Trainee Capts, some rated and some not, but they are still to join. I think the way they operate with the bureaucracy dragging behind them, 6 months to get started looks like a fair time?
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IMHO this is another pipe dream. Agatha Chen, the representative from Rishworth Aviation does no return messages. I guess there are a gazillion applicants banging down the doors at Rishworth for the opportunity to fly with AIX
.
. I guess there are a gazillion applicants banging down the doors at Rishworth for the opportunity to fly with AIX.
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Attached is response from Rishworth Aviation regarding some questions I had about AIX.
I have reviewed your queries and highlighted my comments below in blue
QUESTION
Why is AIX not paying the full amount as advertised?
RESPONSE
In regards to the question about salary and as to reasons why Air India is not paying the full amount, Air India will deduct $1000 per month as a part of a retention scheme to ensure pilots remain with the airline for the full duration of the contract term. This will be reimbursed to you on the completion of your yearly anniversary on assignment with Air India Express.
QUESTION
As AIRX does not fly to my home country, will they provide me with return business class ticket to and from my home airport?
RESPONSE
Air India will provide tickets on the Air India network only at commencement and termination of your assignment, and for your consecutive days off. These will be confirmed tickets in Economy class, upgradeable to Business class when available. You will have to arrange to meet the costs of travel from your Base Residence to nominated Home Residence as these are not reimbursed by the Airline.
QUESTION
Can you please detail the accommodation arrangements in India along with crew transport to and from the airport for duty.
RESPONSE
For this particular appointment,
- pilots will need to organise their own accommodation at their allocated duty station from the monthly salary provided
- accommodation and transport will be met by Air India only when on flying duty, away from operating duty station
QUESTION
Does AIX provide per Diem for overnights outside of India?
RESPONSE
Unfortunately there are no per diems payable on this assignment.
SUBJECT ABOUT TAXES
Air India has advised that the salary is net of any taxes in India, as they are responsible for this. As such, any further discussions on this topic, would be best raised directly with the airline, at the appropriate time, should you decide to pursue this opportunity further.
I hope this answers your questions. With the above information in mind, please let me know if you wish to proceed and commence an application for Air India Express.
Thank you and I look forward to hearing from you soon - also I do apologize again for the delay in getting back to you sooner.
I have reviewed your queries and highlighted my comments below in blue
QUESTION
Why is AIX not paying the full amount as advertised?
RESPONSE
In regards to the question about salary and as to reasons why Air India is not paying the full amount, Air India will deduct $1000 per month as a part of a retention scheme to ensure pilots remain with the airline for the full duration of the contract term. This will be reimbursed to you on the completion of your yearly anniversary on assignment with Air India Express.
QUESTION
As AIRX does not fly to my home country, will they provide me with return business class ticket to and from my home airport?
RESPONSE
Air India will provide tickets on the Air India network only at commencement and termination of your assignment, and for your consecutive days off. These will be confirmed tickets in Economy class, upgradeable to Business class when available. You will have to arrange to meet the costs of travel from your Base Residence to nominated Home Residence as these are not reimbursed by the Airline.
QUESTION
Can you please detail the accommodation arrangements in India along with crew transport to and from the airport for duty.
RESPONSE
For this particular appointment,
- pilots will need to organise their own accommodation at their allocated duty station from the monthly salary provided
- accommodation and transport will be met by Air India only when on flying duty, away from operating duty station
QUESTION
Does AIX provide per Diem for overnights outside of India?
RESPONSE
Unfortunately there are no per diems payable on this assignment.
SUBJECT ABOUT TAXES
Air India has advised that the salary is net of any taxes in India, as they are responsible for this. As such, any further discussions on this topic, would be best raised directly with the airline, at the appropriate time, should you decide to pursue this opportunity further.
I hope this answers your questions. With the above information in mind, please let me know if you wish to proceed and commence an application for Air India Express.
Thank you and I look forward to hearing from you soon - also I do apologize again for the delay in getting back to you sooner.
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if they are holding 1k every month then i would expect COMPOUND INTEREST on the 12k
certainly not a good gig.....they will use you and kick you on the rear when they dont need you. dont forget what happened to all the expats some time ago.
accommodation is not provided either and how do they expect the expats to travel to their home destination on Air India Express when the route they serve is so limited???
certainly not a good gig. stay away!
certainly not a good gig.....they will use you and kick you on the rear when they dont need you. dont forget what happened to all the expats some time ago.
accommodation is not provided either and how do they expect the expats to travel to their home destination on Air India Express when the route they serve is so limited???
certainly not a good gig. stay away!
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accommodation is not provided either and how do they expect the expats to travel to their home destination on Air India Express when the route they serve is so limited???
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SOmething from parent company...
Air India suspends pilot, two air hostesses for 'overstaying'
An Air India pilot and two air hostesses were suspended after an airline probe found that the cabin crew overstayed in the cockpit on a Delhi-bound flight from Bangkok on April 12.
The action came amidst reports that while the pilot took a nap in the business class, the air hostesses were left to operate the aircraft over 20 minutes, endangering the safety of 166 passengers on board.
The pilot had reportedly put the plane on auto-pilot mode and allowed the cabin crew to be in the cockpit.
Airline regulator DGCA has initiated a probe to ascertain whether the pilot had left the cockpit as suggested by the reports.
Air India admitted that the air hostesses had overstayed in the cockpit but denied that the pilot had allowed them to operate the aircraft.
"Based on a report that two cabin crew members were in the cockpit for a prolonged period on the said flight, the two cabin crew were called for an inquiry. As the enquiry confirmed the overstay of the cabin crew in the cockpit, administrative action was taken against them and the pilot.
They have been suspended pending the final enquiry of the incident," the national carrier said in a statement here. Air India also denied that one of the cabin crew "accidentally switched off the auto-pilot mode", as alleged in the report.
"It is categorically stated that at no point of time the cockpit was left unattended by the cockpit crew. During the incident, due to distraction the co-pilot had touched the auto pilot disconnect button momentarily. But the same was connected back," the statement said.
Asked about the incident, Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh said in Delhi that action has been taken against the pilot and the air hostesses.
"Any such incident in such a sensitive sector, safety is always a big concern .... these incidents are inquired into, so that you can learn from what not to do, how to change things, how to monitor things."
The Indian Express....3/05/2013
Air India suspends pilot, two air hostesses for 'overstaying'
An Air India pilot and two air hostesses were suspended after an airline probe found that the cabin crew overstayed in the cockpit on a Delhi-bound flight from Bangkok on April 12.
The action came amidst reports that while the pilot took a nap in the business class, the air hostesses were left to operate the aircraft over 20 minutes, endangering the safety of 166 passengers on board.
The pilot had reportedly put the plane on auto-pilot mode and allowed the cabin crew to be in the cockpit.
Airline regulator DGCA has initiated a probe to ascertain whether the pilot had left the cockpit as suggested by the reports.
Air India admitted that the air hostesses had overstayed in the cockpit but denied that the pilot had allowed them to operate the aircraft.
"Based on a report that two cabin crew members were in the cockpit for a prolonged period on the said flight, the two cabin crew were called for an inquiry. As the enquiry confirmed the overstay of the cabin crew in the cockpit, administrative action was taken against them and the pilot.
They have been suspended pending the final enquiry of the incident," the national carrier said in a statement here. Air India also denied that one of the cabin crew "accidentally switched off the auto-pilot mode", as alleged in the report.
"It is categorically stated that at no point of time the cockpit was left unattended by the cockpit crew. During the incident, due to distraction the co-pilot had touched the auto pilot disconnect button momentarily. But the same was connected back," the statement said.
Asked about the incident, Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh said in Delhi that action has been taken against the pilot and the air hostesses.
"Any such incident in such a sensitive sector, safety is always a big concern .... these incidents are inquired into, so that you can learn from what not to do, how to change things, how to monitor things."
The Indian Express....3/05/2013
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Air Indian Express Plane Plunges 7,000 Feet
And just in case you forgotten the incident ...
Air India Express Pilot Saves 113 Passengers After Plane Plunges 7,000 Feet During His Bathroom Break
An Air India Express co-pilot on a May 25th flight from Dubai to Pune, India nearly killed the plane's 113 passengers when he tried to move his seat and sent the plane into a 7,000 foot nose-dive, according to ABC News.
The unidentified pilot was trying to adjust his seat forward and pressed a control column forward which sent the plane into a 26-degree nose dive, according to India's Directorate General of Civil Aviation.
Naturally, the airplane's pilot was in the bathroom and couldn't get into the cockpit because the co-pilot "got in a panic situation." The pilot used a secret code to gain access and pulled the plane out of its nose dive. Aviation authorities said that the plane would have broken apart if it had continued on that path.
Indian authorities said that the co-pilot, who was 25, had not been trained to handle this type of situation.
Huff Post.. 12/02/10
Air India Express Pilot Saves 113 Passengers After Plane Plunges 7,000 Feet During His Bathroom Break
An Air India Express co-pilot on a May 25th flight from Dubai to Pune, India nearly killed the plane's 113 passengers when he tried to move his seat and sent the plane into a 7,000 foot nose-dive, according to ABC News.
The unidentified pilot was trying to adjust his seat forward and pressed a control column forward which sent the plane into a 26-degree nose dive, according to India's Directorate General of Civil Aviation.
Naturally, the airplane's pilot was in the bathroom and couldn't get into the cockpit because the co-pilot "got in a panic situation." The pilot used a secret code to gain access and pulled the plane out of its nose dive. Aviation authorities said that the plane would have broken apart if it had continued on that path.
Indian authorities said that the co-pilot, who was 25, had not been trained to handle this type of situation.
Huff Post.. 12/02/10
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AI Express is home to retired AI staff
MUMBAI: Air India Express is probably the only airline in the world with a predominantly grey-haired workforce. In the last few years, so many Air India employees have moved to this low-cost airline subsidiary after retirement to draw a higher salary that they currently comprise about 75 per cent of the carrier's workforce (excluding pilots and flight attendants).
This post-retirement recruitment has happened despite the fact that the government-run Air India is overstaffed and has been surviving on tax-payers' money.
AI Express began operations eight years ago and was largely run by AI employees sent there on deputation. The low-cost carrier began the practice of recruiting the retired lot from AI about four years ago, and the trend has picked up. AI's retired staffers now with AI Express include those who started off as typists and clerks and, because of the government carrier's time-bound promotion rule, retired as assistant managers.
To cut down AI's workforce, 19,500 employees are being moved to its two other subsidiaries, the engineering unit and the ground-handling unit. The same rule has not been applied to AI Express, though. "In the last few months, AI Express has created a number of vacancies and has been recruiting largely retired AI employees," said an airline source, adding that the low-cost carrier could continue the practice of taking AI officials on deputation.
The age limit in the eligibility criteria listed in the recruitment advertisements also indicates that these posts are for the retired AI lot. For instance, in the ongoing recruitments, 60 is the maximum age limit for applying for a number of posts, while for a few others it is 30 and 45 (see box).
"It is questionable how these vacancies with 60 as the maximum age for application come up just when certain officials are on the verge of retirement," said a source. For instance, an official who retired in January as a station manager has applied and has been shortlisted for the post of chief of commercial. "His last salary in AI was around Rs 75,000, his AI Express salary will be Rs 1.3 lakh," said the source. "In most cases, the salaries paid by AI Express to these officials is about 100 percent higher than their last drawn AI salary," said the source.
Salaries in the government-owned AI Express range from Rs 25,000 to Rs 1.60 lakh a month.
Then again, 60 is the maximum age only for applying to these posts. "After getting into the company, one can continue for any number of years by having the three-year-old contracts renewed. Which is why there are retired AI employees aged even 65 currently working with AI Express," he added. It makes AI Express the only PSU that recruits and keeps a workforce aged over 60. About a decade ago, AI reduced its retirement age from 60 to 58.
Ansbert D'Souza, COO of AI Express said: "AI Express is in the process of setting up its headquarters in Kochi, and the new recruitments are for filling up vacancies at the HQ. All the said appointments are short-term contractual appointments, hence age restrictions are not applicable."
"By hiring retired people from Air India on short-term contract, we are drawing on their long experience and expertise without a long-term financial commitment for the organization," he said.
AI Express jobs
* In the ongoing recruitments, 60 is the age limit for applying for the posts of: deputy chief of operations, deputy chief manager (flight operations admin), deputy scheduling manager (operating and cabin crew), scheduling officer (operating crew, cabin crew), chief airline attendant, chief ground support, deputy chief ground support, chief of commercial, deputy chief of commercial, chief of finance, deputy chief of finance, finance manager.
* For other posts like senior flight safety officer and deputy chief airline attendant, the maximum age for application is 30 and 45 respectively.
MUMBAI: Air India Express is probably the only airline in the world with a predominantly grey-haired workforce. In the last few years, so many Air India employees have moved to this low-cost airline subsidiary after retirement to draw a higher salary that they currently comprise about 75 per cent of the carrier's workforce (excluding pilots and flight attendants).
This post-retirement recruitment has happened despite the fact that the government-run Air India is overstaffed and has been surviving on tax-payers' money.
AI Express began operations eight years ago and was largely run by AI employees sent there on deputation. The low-cost carrier began the practice of recruiting the retired lot from AI about four years ago, and the trend has picked up. AI's retired staffers now with AI Express include those who started off as typists and clerks and, because of the government carrier's time-bound promotion rule, retired as assistant managers.
To cut down AI's workforce, 19,500 employees are being moved to its two other subsidiaries, the engineering unit and the ground-handling unit. The same rule has not been applied to AI Express, though. "In the last few months, AI Express has created a number of vacancies and has been recruiting largely retired AI employees," said an airline source, adding that the low-cost carrier could continue the practice of taking AI officials on deputation.
The age limit in the eligibility criteria listed in the recruitment advertisements also indicates that these posts are for the retired AI lot. For instance, in the ongoing recruitments, 60 is the maximum age limit for applying for a number of posts, while for a few others it is 30 and 45 (see box).
"It is questionable how these vacancies with 60 as the maximum age for application come up just when certain officials are on the verge of retirement," said a source. For instance, an official who retired in January as a station manager has applied and has been shortlisted for the post of chief of commercial. "His last salary in AI was around Rs 75,000, his AI Express salary will be Rs 1.3 lakh," said the source. "In most cases, the salaries paid by AI Express to these officials is about 100 percent higher than their last drawn AI salary," said the source.
Salaries in the government-owned AI Express range from Rs 25,000 to Rs 1.60 lakh a month.
Then again, 60 is the maximum age only for applying to these posts. "After getting into the company, one can continue for any number of years by having the three-year-old contracts renewed. Which is why there are retired AI employees aged even 65 currently working with AI Express," he added. It makes AI Express the only PSU that recruits and keeps a workforce aged over 60. About a decade ago, AI reduced its retirement age from 60 to 58.
Ansbert D'Souza, COO of AI Express said: "AI Express is in the process of setting up its headquarters in Kochi, and the new recruitments are for filling up vacancies at the HQ. All the said appointments are short-term contractual appointments, hence age restrictions are not applicable."
"By hiring retired people from Air India on short-term contract, we are drawing on their long experience and expertise without a long-term financial commitment for the organization," he said.
AI Express jobs
* In the ongoing recruitments, 60 is the age limit for applying for the posts of: deputy chief of operations, deputy chief manager (flight operations admin), deputy scheduling manager (operating and cabin crew), scheduling officer (operating crew, cabin crew), chief airline attendant, chief ground support, deputy chief ground support, chief of commercial, deputy chief of commercial, chief of finance, deputy chief of finance, finance manager.
* For other posts like senior flight safety officer and deputy chief airline attendant, the maximum age for application is 30 and 45 respectively.
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from experience
having been an "expat" in India for 4 years, back when they really needed capt`s. my 2 cents, be very careful taking this or any job in India at this time one of the new rules from the DGCA is that everyone must pass an Indian medical, their standards are extreme, since the medicals are done by airforce docs, and remember if they fail you, you may have some explaining to do to the FAA or whoever. Also as regards the "loyality bonus" (money they are withholding) --after completing the contract I was due 6 weeks leave, after returning home (10,000 miles away) they said leave didn`t constitute towards the year, and didn`t pay it ????? ----the bottom line a very devious bunch over in India especially when it comes to money.
----the bottom line a very devious bunch over in India especially when it comes to money.
short flights long nights
So AI Express is just becoming Air India under a different name, full of hangers on. When India realises you don't need 40 pink forms, and 30 blue forms (but if it is Friday they should be yellow) to survive.....perhaps they will produce an Airline that can compete.
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While I share the melancholy surrounding Air India,I must point out that medicals have become much much easier in the last few years.I think a bigger problem for expats in India is getting security clearance and all the waiting involved with it.