Alliance Air, a subsidiary of national carrier Air India, has witnessed substantial attrition as 14 pilots and many other staffers have left the company in the last few months, affecting the utilisation of its eight aircraft.
As per the fleet utilisation chart prepared daily, average hours each aircraft flies, which should be which should be at least 10-12 hours a day as per aviation guidelines, has come down to around six hours. On October 12, the fleet utilisation of the two aircraft was just around three hours.
Alliance Air thus adds to the burden of already indebted Air India, as all the air-craft are on lease and the company has to pay a premium of $ 1.75 lakh for every aircraft.
"If people are leaving and aircraft are not making profits, then the company should look into the matter and take action. It seems that nobody is bothered about it," a senior Air India official told dna, requesting anonymity.
According to Alliance Air website, it operates services with a fleet of 4 CRJ and 4 ATR aircraft mostly to Tier 2 and 3 cities, or those which link these cities to the metro hubs.
The airline CEO Anil Mehta, speaking to dna, claimed that airline operates at least 24 flights everyday, but denied that pilots and other staff member are leaving the job. As of now, Alliance Air has just six captains and 7 co-pilots running the show, sources said.
However, as per the data available with dna, at least 14 pilots have left the job and many of them joined a private low-cost airline. Besides, several other cabin crew members have also quit.
Some of the pilots and cabin crew members who left have reasoned that they couldn't work with the executive director (operations) of Alliance Air S Mehrotra allegedly for his "unprofessional" attitude. Mehrotra is also a pilot and flies Airbus of Air India. The staffers also alleged that he flies much less than the required flying hours. "He thought all of us were his slaves. And he works as per his own comfort and prejudices," said one of the staffers who resigned recently. A senior chief ground instructor, approved by Director General Civil Aviation (DGCA), has also left the job.
"Many pilots are sitting without necessary refresher, which is compulsorily conducted twice a year," said another Air India official. According to sources, another official hired to train the pilots has not been approved by the DGCA.
When contacted, Mehrotra refused to comment on any official issue, saying he was on medical leave. "I have recently undergone an operation. I am not aware of anything happening in office," he told dna over phone.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}