AirAsia To Phase Out Foreign Pilots
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AirAsia To Phase Out Foreign Pilots
After Malindo, MAS stopped hiring foreign pilots... now Airasia (AGAAAIN). I guess the newly elected ministers are holding to there promise of employment for local.
AirAsia To Phase Out Foreign Pilots
Malaysia-based low-fare carrier AirAsia plans to phase out its foreign pilots as part of the carrier’s goal to employ an all-Malaysian workforce and to cut costs.
The exercise would happen gradually with the expiration of the pilots’ respective contracts. The airline has not set a date to achieve its objective but estimates that it should materialize by 2018 or 2019.
According to an airline spokesman, AirAsia now employs some 700 pilots, 100 of whom are foreigners from 32 countries. All serve as captains on the Airbus A320 fleet.
The last foreign first officer to have served on the fleet, a Filipino, has transferred to Manila-based low-cost carrier Zest Air, in which AirAsia holds a 40-percent stake. AirAsia also holds a 40-percent share of AirAsia Philippines.
AirAsia hopes to hire more Malaysians with frozen airline transport pilot (ATP) licenses to fill the vacancies of senior first officers promoted to captain over the next couple of years.
Some 955 young Malaysians with frozen ATP licenses who privately funded their training at local flying schools are currently unemployed.
Rapid expansion over the last five years has forced AirAsia to hire a huge number of foreign crews, despite poaching serving pilots and hiring some who retired at the age of 60 from flag carrier Malaysia Airlines. AirAsia pilots can fly until they reach the ICAO-mandated age limit of 65.
The AirAsia fleet averages 14 hours utilization a day, thanks to 30-minute turnaround times and high crew productivity.
A pioneer in low-cost travel in Asia, the carrier started operations in December 2001 with two 737-300s serving four domestic destinations. Its fleet of 64 Airbus A320s now flies to 44 destinations from four hubs: Kuala Lumpur International Airport, Kota Kinabalu International Airport, Kuching International Airport and Senai International Airport.
Holding delivery positions on 86 Airbus A320s, including 64 A320neos, the AirAsia group operates affiliate airlines in Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines and Japan, as well as a long-haul carrier, Air Asia X. It plans to launch AirAsia India in the fourth quarter with Indian partners Tata Sons and Telestra Tradeplace. While AirAsia and All Nippon Airways have agreed to dissolve the Japanese venture due to “management differences,” AirAsia group CEO Tony Fernandes has already signaled a desire to enter a joint venture in Japan with a different party.
AIN online 29/7/2013
AirAsia To Phase Out Foreign Pilots
Malaysia-based low-fare carrier AirAsia plans to phase out its foreign pilots as part of the carrier’s goal to employ an all-Malaysian workforce and to cut costs.
The exercise would happen gradually with the expiration of the pilots’ respective contracts. The airline has not set a date to achieve its objective but estimates that it should materialize by 2018 or 2019.
According to an airline spokesman, AirAsia now employs some 700 pilots, 100 of whom are foreigners from 32 countries. All serve as captains on the Airbus A320 fleet.
The last foreign first officer to have served on the fleet, a Filipino, has transferred to Manila-based low-cost carrier Zest Air, in which AirAsia holds a 40-percent stake. AirAsia also holds a 40-percent share of AirAsia Philippines.
AirAsia hopes to hire more Malaysians with frozen airline transport pilot (ATP) licenses to fill the vacancies of senior first officers promoted to captain over the next couple of years.
Some 955 young Malaysians with frozen ATP licenses who privately funded their training at local flying schools are currently unemployed.
Rapid expansion over the last five years has forced AirAsia to hire a huge number of foreign crews, despite poaching serving pilots and hiring some who retired at the age of 60 from flag carrier Malaysia Airlines. AirAsia pilots can fly until they reach the ICAO-mandated age limit of 65.
The AirAsia fleet averages 14 hours utilization a day, thanks to 30-minute turnaround times and high crew productivity.
A pioneer in low-cost travel in Asia, the carrier started operations in December 2001 with two 737-300s serving four domestic destinations. Its fleet of 64 Airbus A320s now flies to 44 destinations from four hubs: Kuala Lumpur International Airport, Kota Kinabalu International Airport, Kuching International Airport and Senai International Airport.
Holding delivery positions on 86 Airbus A320s, including 64 A320neos, the AirAsia group operates affiliate airlines in Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines and Japan, as well as a long-haul carrier, Air Asia X. It plans to launch AirAsia India in the fourth quarter with Indian partners Tata Sons and Telestra Tradeplace. While AirAsia and All Nippon Airways have agreed to dissolve the Japanese venture due to “management differences,” AirAsia group CEO Tony Fernandes has already signaled a desire to enter a joint venture in Japan with a different party.
AIN online 29/7/2013
Last edited by jetjockey696; 5th Aug 2013 at 06:53.
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yep foreign pilots are paid as local pilots.. but for many people outside Airasia.. dont know that. So UNCLE TONI can spin this...like his music. its looks good for him that he getting rid of expat pilots..IMAGE.. and he can place 100 expat pilot with local
.. not a significant workforce anyway.. 100 expats.
And doing this he can replace them with sons and daughters of DCA/government officials.. and then back in the good books with DCA. He working hard to get back into the good books with ministers and DCA.
.. not a significant workforce anyway.. 100 expats. And doing this he can replace them with sons and daughters of DCA/government officials.. and then back in the good books with DCA. He working hard to get back into the good books with ministers and DCA.
with the last paragraph.
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Malindo is not too healthy as I heard recently... due to the current CEO. he has nearly sacked the original staff and management, what left are the YES men. His current staff had said he not a leader. he has no management skills..a typical YES man to His BOSSES.
Sadly the airline is in a nose down attitude..either its going to crash and burn OR realise last time to pull up.. 
There are some pilots are not paying for there type rating.. free type rating for DCA relatives and minister sons and daughters..a lot of white chunky envelopes being passed around and lavish dinners for DCA. and for underprivileged pilots PLEASE for your typerating.. for the next 15 years.
Its sound that Malindo is the playground for DCA and ministers, and the final resting place for washed up psychotic airforce pilots. Good way to launder the dirty money and crazy pilots...
Sadly the airline is in a nose down attitude..either its going to crash and burn OR realise last time to pull up.. There are some pilots are not paying for there type rating.. free type rating for DCA relatives and minister sons and daughters..a lot of white chunky envelopes being passed around and lavish dinners for DCA. and for underprivileged pilots PLEASE for your typerating.. for the next 15 years.
Its sound that Malindo is the playground for DCA and ministers, and the final resting place for washed up psychotic airforce pilots. Good way to launder the dirty money and crazy pilots...
Last edited by jetjockey696; 6th Aug 2013 at 06:26.
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A large portion of the 955 unemployed Malaysian pilots are unemployed because they can't fly and have failed the interview multiple times. Not my words, this came from a trainer at AK a few years ago.
Nice to see that common sense, quality of training and airmanship skills come second to passport colour (again) although I doubt their resolve will last long once the press & certain DCA officials loose interest. Most expat captains are on permanent local contracts anyway!
Nice to see that common sense, quality of training and airmanship skills come second to passport colour (again) although I doubt their resolve will last long once the press & certain DCA officials loose interest. Most expat captains are on permanent local contracts anyway!
