Pilots exit Air India to join private carriers

Mumbai: More than 20 pilots have exited Air India in the last one month and joined private airlines. Many more pilots are expected to quit in the next few weeks according to three sources. This mass exodus got triggered after the pilots’ went on strike last month.
Sensing the opportunity, private domestic players like Indigo airlines & Kingfisher airlines have made lucrative offers to Air India pilots. Some of the pilots have also joined International airlines like China based Spring airlines & Hong Kong based Dragonair. Tiger Airways & Qatar Airways have also made offers.
‘The whole purpose of working in Air India was that it is a government owned company and there is job security. But when we don’t get paid for months and there is a uncertain future looming, it better to join a private airline’ said one of the pilots who is joining a private airline. Air India pilots have not got paid in the last three months.
All the pilots who have quit in the last one month did not serve the mandatory notice period. The airline is saddled with a debt of about Rs 40,000 crore, of which Rs 18,000 crore is working capital loans taken from a consortium of banks and the balance of Rs 22,000 crore is towards payment for new aircraft ordered.
15/06/11 Sameer Hashmi/Economic Times

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