AI stopped from hiring Kingfisher pilots
The Indian Commercial Pilots Association (ICPA) “shot down” Air India management’s plan to hire pilots from another beleaguered airline, citing it as “unnecessary”.
Sources in the airline have revealed that the management was planning to absorb Kingfisher Airlines pilots on contract basis to fly its narrow-bodied aircraft and approached the ICPA, seeking an NOC for the same that was later denied.
These aircraft consist of the AI’s airbus fleet, which belonged to the erstwhile Indian Airlines, essentially used for domestic operations. ICPA is the pilots un-ion of the IA, but continued to maintain the body even after the merger in 2007.
Sources said that the airline was reportedly facing a shortage of pilots and had decided to take some Kingfisher pilots on a contractual basis, which the ICPA found “erroneous” on two major counts.
“The airline already has 657 pilots from the ICPA who are sitting unutilised because of the poor management by authorities. If utilised well, all pilots can satisfy the operational needs on all domestic routes, which the management is incapable of doing. Moreover, the airline should hire pilots directly as Air India employees and not on contractual basis as they are subject to the existing career progression policy and do not supersede the existing ICPA pilots who are eligible for promotion,” said an airline pilot, requesting anonymity.
A top Air India official said he was unaware of any such development, but did not rule out the possibility of the same. “It might have taken place involving officials from Delhi or other departments,” said the official.
The Air India spokesperson remained unavailable for comment. The airline had “unofficially” issued a gag order on interacting with the media after the July 5 incident when turbulence hit the Delhi-Shanghai flight, injuring a few passengers and crewmembers.
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