Private airlines vie for AI pilots

New Delhi: Private airlines are targeting disgruntled Air India pilots who have either quit or are planning to do so.

According to market observers, private carriers such as IndiGo, SpiceJet, Qatar Airways and Emirates are competing with each other to recruit Air India pilots.
This comes at a time low-cost carriers have lined up major expansion plans. GoAir recently announced plans to buy 72 aircraft, while IndiGo will start its international operations from September and get the first lot of the 180 Boeing A-320 Neo in 2015. SpiceJet has also acquired 180 ATR jets.
According to office bearers of the Indian Commercial Pilots Association (ICPA), five Air India pilots have resigned this month from Delhi and 17 more might follow suit.
“Many of our members have quit the airline and more pilots are expected to give their notices in the next few weeks. The pilots are getting a third of their salaries while being forced to fly for more than the stipulated hours. Moreover, after the 10-day strike, working along with the management has become impossible. This is why the pilots are quitting,” said an ICPA spokesperson.
IndiGo has said it will employ more than 200 pilots in the next 18-20 months. “We are going to employ pilots, it is not that we are going to employ only Air India pilots,” said Aditya Ghosh, president of the airline.
According to sources at Kingfisher Airlines, seven Air India pilots have joined them in April and May. The airline has been approached by commanders of 11 aircraft belonging to the national carrier.
20/06/11 Kiran Choudhury/The Telegraph