Several pilots of domestic airlines made a beeline for the recruitment interview held by Qatar Airways in Delhi last week.
With the possibility of a salary cut hanging like a sword of Damocles over the heads of pilots of domestic airlines, international airlines based in the Middle East are having a field day.
Several pilots of domestic airlines made a beeline for the recruitment interview held by Qatar Airways in Delhi last week. The airline has a vacancy for 250 pilots for its new fleet of aircraft. Industry watchers are not surprised to see the response to the Qatar Airways interview. “It is a win-win situation for both the pilots and the airline. For the airline, there is no better place to hire pilots than India and pilots here always want to get into foreign airlines,” said a senior pilot of a low-cost carrier.
The airline is looking for both pilots and co-pilots. To make the job offer irresistible, the pilots are being offered tax-free salaries and a three-year contract. “I’ve applied for the post of commander. Many of my friends have applied for the job,” a Delhi-based pilot said.
By conservative estimates there are over 5,000 pilots working in all the domestic airlines in India. The reason for a large number of pilots heading Middle East for jobs is not just the aviation slump in India, but also the inevitable pay cuts.
“Salary cuts have upset all pilots across airlines. The situation will not improve anytime soon. So, it’s better to get into airlines which are stable and financially sound,” another pilot said. More than the lucrative job offers it is the job security that matters for these pilots.
“Across airlines, fleet expansion plans are on hold, pilot training has taken a back seat and salary cuts have become the order of the day. It makes more sense to get into an international airline like Qatar Airways,” said another pilot.
Industry watchers are not unnerved by this trend. “The airline is taking 250 pilots which is a small number. It cannot jolt Indian airlines because there are many senior captains and fresh pilots in the market,” another pilot said.
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