IndiGo asks govt to relax rules for hiring expat pilots
Mumbai: The country’s second largest private carrier by market share, IndiGo, has asked the government to relax the rules for hiring expatriate pilots under the Foreign Aircrew Temporary Authorisation (FATA) policy. The proposal, if approved, would allow the carrier to engage experienced pilots quitting crisis-ridden Kingfisher Airlines. “The airline has written to the Civil Aviation Ministry for waiver of additional security clearance and for transfer of FATA with respect to expatriate pilots flying in India,” industry sources said.
According to a report by The Financial Express, with the low-cost airline expanding its fleet by adding almost one aircraft every month, it needs commander-level pilots. While there is an over-supply of entry-level pilots in the country, the industry depends on foreign pilots at commander-level, experienced in flying commercial jets. The airline, which currently operates with 49 airplanes, is expanding its international operations to West Asia and Southeast Asian countries. As per an estimate, there are currently 450 expatriate pilots holding FATA.
As per existing rules, an expat pilot has to go back to his own country after completing his term with an Indian carrier and re-apply to a rival airline from there. In case the rival airline plans to hire them, they have to again go through the security clearance, medical tests and other procedures, adding to procedural delays.
27/12/11 TravelBizMonitor
of course its dgca’s pleasure to extend hiring of expat pilot……….
no future of indian fresher pilot……….
they really dnt care abt us …
hw we dying to get the job….
To,
Mr.Rahul Bhatia,
MD IndiGo.
Sir,
Only if you give chance to the trainee pilots in India,can they become experienced commanders for fulfilling your needs for pilots in future! If you rely upon the expats, you will be wasting a lot of money since Indian pilots are cheaper, I request you to stop hiring expats and pay more focus on your CAE students, which seems to be a great idea! DGCA have been stricter now, so no worries about the fraud pilots, I suggest you to hire students from CAE coz NFTI and IGRAU are the best and branded flying schools of India, like the IITs of flying. And since you have ordered 200 more A320’s, and have become international, by 2015-25 you will have to buy more fuel to operate all these airbuses. So dont waste your money on them! I just don’t want IndiGo to be named along with the cash-strapped airlines like Air India, Kingfisher and the corrupt Jet airways. The way you are expanding is amazing (touch-wood!).
By,
Varun Kumar,
Wannabe IndiGo pilot!
This problem of entry level pilots will persist in India as supply is always more than demand. Lop sided DGCA policies on expansions of airlines is the cause. An airline should only be allowed to expand fleets AFTER its flt deck manning requirements are met not BEFORE.
If this is strictly implemented, then airlines would be forced to train their national first officers for command at a faster pace onto the left hand seat, making way for ab-initio F/Os to get employed.
This cart before the horse policy has screwed many aspiring careers in avation.
K.J.Patel.
dgca should never give this approval to any operator for expact pilot authorisation. cpl holders r dying to get job ,to fly ..
You are thinking only in about yourself colleague,,
What about the safety of the Fligth ?
What about the life of the PAX?
Airplanes are not a play station game.
Ask Indigo to make public all FDM that Indigo has every day
I promise, if any newspaper knows about it, Indigo will not have any PAX any more.