Job aspirants now look for a flying start as more airlines take off

Mumbai: When 21-year-old Akanksha Sharma (name changed) lost her job as a flight attendant after a major airline closed down last year, she had no choice but to join a call centre in Bangalore. Six months later, she found her way back to her dream job and will soon be joining a South-East Asian airline as a cabin crew.
Thanks to the entry of new players such as the joint venture of Tata-AirAsia in the domestic aviation sector and foreign airlines forging new ties in India (Jet-Etihad), many aspiring candidates are now looking to give their careers a “flying” start.
Institutes offering courses in aviation and hospitality have seen renewed vigour in placements and many have also introduced new courses.
Faced with multiple headwinds in 2010-11, several airlines had cut jobs and stopped flights on many routes. “The aviation sector saw a dip of around 15 per cent in hiring during that period. But this year, the hiring sentiment is better,” said Samir Valia, President, Frankfinn Institute of Air Hostess Training.
12/05/13 Business Line