Pvt airlines try to poach AI's striking pilots, unsuccessfully

New Delhi: Air India is lucky that none of its pilots flew away during the recent five-day standoff between the management and senior pilots. As it turns out, some private airlines had approached the nearly 200 agitating executive pilots of the national carrier with job offers. “Private carriers tried to lure as many as 60 executive pilots of Air India while they were in confrontation with the management,” said an Air India official, who did not wish to be identified.
The danger is not over yet. India’s private airlines have to replace nearly 900 foreign pilots, including 686 seniors, by July next, the deadline set by the government to phase out expat pilots. While hundreds of junior pilots in India are looking for jobs, there is a shortage of senior flyers at commander level.
“It is difficult for the industry to produce the required number of pilots of that experience,” says Ankur Bhatia, managing director of Amadeus India, a technology service provider to travel and tourism industry. According to him, the country’s airlines will require 1,200 pilots at commanding officer level over the next year when the industry is expected to grow 15%. The obvious poaching ground will be Air India.
03/10/09 Nirbhay Kumar/Economic Times