New Delhi: In an unprecedented move, Air India on Friday sacked three co-pilots who had resigned before completing their five-year contract period with the Maharaja. The airline, which is facing relentless poaching of pilots from both India and foreign airlines, has also asked the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to suspend the flying licences of these three pilots.AI chairman Ashwani Lohani cleared this move to check the massive exodus of pilots from the airline, which is putting its expansion plans in a quandary. Lohani had on November 29 told TOI that the large-scale poaching of AI pilots, especially by a leading low cost carrier (LCC), was 'unethical' and he would do all to stop this exodus from the airline by resolving all genuine HR issues.
"These three pilots were trained by us at a cost of almost Rs 25 lakh per head. They had a contract to serve AI for five years but they resigned on getting a better offer. This kind of thing can't be permitted as we have ambitious growth plans, are getting planes and need to retain pilots that we train at a huge expense," a senior AI official said, indicating the reason for Lohani's tough move.
The official added that the three pilots were only months away from getting promoted as captains. Private airlines have been luring AI pilots with the offer of better pay and faster career progression, meaning swifter transition from co-pilot to commander. It has lost 50 pilots to one Indian LCC alone in last one year.
12/12/15 Saurabh Sinha/Times of India
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"These three pilots were trained by us at a cost of almost Rs 25 lakh per head. They had a contract to serve AI for five years but they resigned on getting a better offer. This kind of thing can't be permitted as we have ambitious growth plans, are getting planes and need to retain pilots that we train at a huge expense," a senior AI official said, indicating the reason for Lohani's tough move.
The official added that the three pilots were only months away from getting promoted as captains. Private airlines have been luring AI pilots with the offer of better pay and faster career progression, meaning swifter transition from co-pilot to commander. It has lost 50 pilots to one Indian LCC alone in last one year.
12/12/15 Saurabh Sinha/Times of India
