Mumbai: Expressing concern over the government's reported move to extend the deadline to phase out expat pilots, Jet Airways pilots today said the move would affect the locals who are without jobs for long.
"We are concerned about the extension of the FATA deadline, especially when there is a downturn in the aviation industry and there are fewer job opportunities for the domestic pilots," Jet's pilots body National Aviatiors Guild said in a letter to aviation secretary K N Srivastava.
Expat pilots are issued a Foreign Aircrew Temporary Authorisation (FATA) to work in India. According to the DGCA, there were 340 expat pilots employed by both scheduled and non-scheduled operators till last year.
The government has set a December 2013 deadline for doing away with foreign pilots but it is reportedly mulling to extend it further.
23/04/13 PTI/Business Standard
