Excess pilots add to losses of IA

New Delhi: At a time when India's loss-making airlines are trying to cut costs, the deep-in-red Indian Airlines (now merged with Air India) is spending like a Maharaja on its pilots. While IA operates a maximum of 55 flights daily from Delhi, a whopping 270 pilots and co-pilots are stationed here.
So, a large number of pilots fly everyday as passengers mostly in business class to other cities for operating flights from there. And, even for going as passengers the pilots get 75% of their flying allowances and the journey eats into their restricted flying hours.
After provisioning for contingencies, the staff surplus is nearly 40%, sources said. IA has 782 pilots for 72 aircraft.For instance, a return Chennai-Singapore flight may be operated by a pilot who needs to be flown from Delhi. On Delhi-Chennai-Delhi sector flight as a passenger, the pilot will get 75% flying allowance. A flight is operated by a set of pilot and co-pilot. Airlines keep a slightly higher number of sets in big stations like metros to meet some contingency. But a 40% surplus is rare.
21/03/08 Saurabh Sinha/Times of India

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Categories: Air India Domestic Mar 2008, NACIL Mar 2008