The Hindu Business Line : Pilot poaching: Minister exploring ways to minimise passenger inconvenience

THE Civil Aviation Minister, Mr Praful Patel, on Monday held a meeting with top officials of all major airlines to work out a solution to tackle the problem of poaching of trained pilots and engineers.

Speaking to newspersons after the meeting, Mr Patel said, "We would not like to regulate their career options in a free market economy. But the Government will explore ways if any self-discipline can be brought about by airlines so that flights are not suddenly cancelled, putting passengers to inconvenience." Another meeting is likely to be held next week to discuss the problem.

It is estimated that currently there are about 1,200 trained commercial pilots in the country flying 165 jets, which does not meet the growing requirement of the sector. With several private airlines expanding operations, pilots and engineers are switching jobs due to substantial hike in salaries. This is despite the Government recently raising the retirement age limit of pilots by a year, from the existing 60 years.

According to Mr Rono Dutta, President of Air Sahara, "All airlines in the country are growing due to surging air passenger traffic. Also, there is terrible shortage of skilled manpower. It will be good to evolve a mechanism which is in everybody's interest." Capt G.R. Gopinath, Managing Director of low-cost carrier Air Deccan added, "Nobody wants a situation where 20 pilots leave overnight. Sometime ago, we had to cancel flights and ground planes due to mass exodus. There should be a code of conduct in which employees wanting to switch jobs give notice of three or six months."

Talking about the recently signed MoU with China, the Minister said that there is need for greater connectivity between the two countries. "Currently traffic has been moving from other points of call. Now we have eased the connectivity," he added.

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