Aviation students asked to grab any straws they can

The latest round of cost-cutting in the airline industry has made the training schools cautious. Amid the uncertainty, students are being advised to grab what ever comes their way. Lubna Kadri, MD of the Indian Aviation Academy said, “We realise this is a passing phase. However, we are advising students not to lose any opportunity by being choosy.” But she was sure the industry would bounce back soon. “By May next year, there are going to be job openings,” she said.
At this point of time, Kingfisher officials are staying tight-lipped. A human resources officer said, “Recruitment has been frozen and I cannot say when they will resume.”
Some Kingfisher employees believe that what is happening at Jet Airways will have an effect on their airline too. “The situation is quite bad here. The crew and employees are slowly getting terminated. We are all mentally preparing ourselves to lose our jobs soon,” an employee said.
The future is bleak even for those looking for jobs in the industry. Sairam S, an unemployed pilot, is beginning to feel the specter of the meltdown at every interview he gives. “I have applied to many companies, but in the current scenario I am not really hopeful. But I guess it’s all about time. Whatever goes down will come back up, and I’m hoping there will be recruitment again,” he said.
16/10/08 S Surekha/Daily News & Analysis