Entry of AirAsia, Etihad offers fresh cheer for unemployed pilots, cabin crews

Three years ago, Rohit Verma got a pilot’s licence and a type rating that allows him to fly Airbus 320 aircraft after spending Rs 33 lakh. The 20-something pilot is still waiting for his first job.
Verma is one among an estimated 4,000 unemployed pilots who now see a glimmer of hope with the proposed entry of Malaysian carrier AirAsia, an impending joint venture between Gulf carrier Etihad and Jet Airways as well as plans of other airlines to add aircraft.
According to the aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation ( DGCA), there are 11,200 CPL-holders in the country, of which a major chunk is unemployed. Although at one time there was an acute shortage of trained commanders, which prompted domestic airlines to hire expat pilots in droves, their number has halved to a little over 300 over the past couple of years.
17/03/13 Anindya Upadhyay/Economic Times

6 thoughts on “Entry of AirAsia, Etihad offers fresh cheer for unemployed pilots, cabin crews

  1. as on march 14 2013 ,12051 cpl holders and around 350-400 airbus 320 type rated and around 250-300 boeing 737 type rated unemployed pilots.

  2. I AN LOOKING FOR JOB IN AVIATION FEILD.SOOO PLEASE LET ME KNOW ABOUT THE OPENING FOR GRUND STAFF.

  3. For des 12000 pilots to be employed india needs 1200 planes. That too with max capacity calculation of 10 pilots per aircraft which is only in airlines. Present fleet size is 375. Make ur decision my pilot aspirant friends…

  4. am pursuing aircraft maintenance engineering in ojt .. I need a jab……….. plz cont me…… 9990934347

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