Airlines go hunting for desi pilots, crew

Mumbai: Domestic airlines have geared up for a massive recruitment programme for local pilots after civil aviation minister asked carriers this week to replace their foreign pilots by July 2010. Sensing possible shortage of Indian pilots over the next three quarters, full service carriers such as Jet Airways and Kingfisher Airlines have already sounded out competitors’ pilots.
Jet Airways has nearly 780 Indian and 230 foreign pilots. “We will gradually make Jet Airways a fully Indian-run airline and the process has already started,” said a senior Jet Airways official.
On the other hand, National Aviation Company of India, which runs the national carrier Air India, will be hiring 40 trainee pilots and co-pilots from Indian citizens. An Air India spokesperson said these fresh pilots will also have to execute performance bond after completion of training . Air India is a national carrier and it keeps hiring pilots at regular intervals , he added.
The main concern is that India doesn’t have enough ‘efficient’ pilots, with the expertise and experience to fly large aircraft like Boeing and Airbus . The industry may see cut-throat hiring from competition, said an analyst with a brokerage firm.
Currently, India has about 1,000 foreign pilots in domestic airlines. In 2005, the government allowed airline operators to hire foreign co-pilots , senior pilots or commanders. Directorate General of Civil Aviation last year said 1,490 foreign pilots were given licences to seek work in the Indian civil aviation sector.
Not only full service carries but lowfare airlines are also hiring pilots. Gurgaon-based no-frill carrier SpiceJet ‘ plans to hire a dozen more in the current fiscal year.
20/02/09 Mithun Roy/Economic Times