Pilots make a beeline for Gulf airlines

New Delhi: This brain drain could strike a blow to India’s growing aviation sector. Many pilots, including senior commanders with over 13,000 hours of flying, are applying for jobs in Gulf carriers due to job insecurity that’s hit almost all the domestic airlines.
The Gulf carriers include Emirates, its low-cost carrier flydubai, Qatar, Ethihad, Air Arabia, Gulf Air and Oman Airlines. Even though flydubai will get its first aircraft only in 2009 and commence operations thereafter, pilots have started applying in droves. Sources say some 50 Jet, 10 Spicejet, 22-30 Jetlite and many pilots from Kingfisher have sent their job applications to the low-cost airline.
Says a private airline pilot who wants to move to flydubai, “Money is not everything. We’re insecure about the way airlines are treating us. It’s not fair and square here… Abroad, once you sign a contract, it is honoured.”
A Kingfisher commander, who has applied in 3-4 Gulf airlines, says, “I was a 737 pilot before I joined Kingfisher. I spent Rs 30 lakh for training on the A-340s in Madrid, but was later told by Kingfisher that it wouldn’t be buying these planes and I could join the A-320 fleet. I feel let down. I now have to pay a bank loan of Rs 75,000 every month.”
However, Kingfisher’s spokesman says, “We had to renew our international expansion plans due to the meltdown. But we’re offering these pilots a job on the A-320s and Kingfisher will bear the costs of training. All, except six, have taken it.”
There’s also dissatisfaction among Indian pilots about expats getting more salaries while they suffer pay cuts. Plus, they can’t leave an airline unless a six-month notice is given by them.
The lure of flying the latest planes is also drawing pilots abroad. Says a Jet pilot with over 8,000 flying hours, “If I get chosen, I’ll also get a chance to be upgraded to the wide-bodied planes Emirates has.”
In fact, Capt Jati Dhillon, V-P operations, Spicejet, says this brain drain is good. “…If expats can come here and fly, why shouldn’t Indians fly to the Gulf? Aviation growth is good there. It’s time India changed pilot licenses so that they’re internationally recognized.” Besides, with a glut of co-pilots here, India can afford to let many pilots go, he says.
Emirates, incidentally, has 2,201 pilots, 29 of whom are Indians, says its spokesman. In the last recruitment in July 2008, nine Indians participated.
Says a Spicejet commander who applied in flydubai, “Airlines in India lack clarity in work policies,especially with regard to seniority, future security and financial viability.” Salaries are an added attraction. For captains with a minimum of 5,000 flying hours and a minimum 500 hours in command in B737s, flydubai is offering 57,000 dirhams tax free (over Rs 6 lakh); instructors and examiners get another 3,000 dirhams extra. In India, commanders in private airlines make about half that amount.
09/11/08 Shobha John/Times of India