Air India Express Pilot Exodus: Safety Concerns Rise
By Business Desk
Experienced pilots are leaving Air India Express due to stagnant pay, raising serious safety concerns. ALPA India warns Tata Trusts Chairman Noel Tata.
India’s Airline Pilots’ Association (ALPA India) has issued a stark warning to Noel Tata, Chairman of Tata Trusts, regarding escalating safety risks across the Air India Group. This concern stems from a significant exodus of experienced pilots, particularly from Air India Express, to rival airlines.
Pilots are leaving due to stagnant income, reduced benefits, and deteriorating working conditions, according to ALPA India. The association stresses this is a critical flight-safety issue, not merely a human resources problem.
The association highlighted specific incidents as evidence of operational risks due to the loss of experienced cockpit crew:
An Air India flight to Phuket encountered issues.
A recorded tail strike incident occurred.
A critical go-around maneuver was performed.
Addressing Pilot Concerns
To address these pressing issues, ALPA India has outlined several key demands to the Tata Group leadership. These proposals aim to improve both pilot welfare and operational safety across the group.
Their comprehensive requests aim to improve pilot welfare and operational stability:
Competitive pay and comprehensive retirement benefits are crucial.
Pilots seek clear career progression and safeguards during fleet transitions.
Improved work-life balance is requested, including usable leave, stable rosters, and protected rest periods.
Effective fatigue-risk management and business-class travel for positioning flights are also priorities.
A non-punitive safety reporting culture and consultation on policy changes complete their list.
Key Numbers
Recent salary adjustments by Air India and Air India Express included hikes ranging from 9-15%.
This urgent appeal comes even after Air India and Air India Express recently offered these salary increases and transfer allowances. The continued concerns indicate that these measures have not fully addressed the underlying issues for pilots.
Seeking Independent Review
ALPA India is advocating for an independent, internationally benchmarked review of several critical areas. This includes attrition rates, roster practices, fatigue data, and cockpit experience levels throughout the Air India Group.
The association is now urging Noel Tata to personally intervene. Their goal is to prevent further operational risks that could arise from the ongoing and significant pilot exodus.