Mumbai: Lured by fatty pay packages and "better" work conditions, flag carrier Air India's pilots are taking a flight to the Gulf airlines leading to a severe shortage of commanders, sources said today.
The Gulf carriers were offering over "40 per cent more money" than Air India, leading the pilots to make a beeline to serve them, sources claimed.
"Many commanders on Boeing 777s have already quit Air India and moved to airlines like Qatar Airways, Etihad and Emirates in the last few months. As many as 35 more commanders are all set to take up assignments with these airlines in the next 2-3 months," sources told PTI here.
Such a drain could lead to "a substantial shortfall of commanders," they said.
Air India currently has around 115 commanders to operate the Boeing 777 fleet, comprising 15 B777-300 (Extended Range) and eight B777-200 (Long Range).
26/12/12 Economic Times
