Aviation: AI may recruit over 6,500 pilots to run 470 new aircraft in coming years
Virendra Pandit
New Delhi: The Tata-owned Air India, which just inked historic deals to acquire 470 aircraft from Airbus and Boeing, will need over 6,500 pilots to run this massive fleet in the coming years, the media reported on Friday.
At present, known for its iconic Maharaja mascot, the airline has nearly 1,600 pilots to operate the fleet of 113 aircraft. In recent months, some of Air India’s long-haul flights had to be canceled or delayed because of the shortage of crew.
Air India’s two subsidiaries, viz. Air India Express and AirAsia India, together account for an additional 850 pilots to fly their 54 airplanes. Besides, its joint venture Vistara has over 600 pilots and a fleet of 53 aircraft, the reports said.
Thus, these four airlines together have around 3,000 pilots to operate their combined fleet of 220 aircraft.
With the acquisition of 470 new aircraft from Airbus and Boeing in the coming years, the Tatas would potentially capture a major chunk of India’s national and international aviation sector. In all, they would acquire 840 aircraft, including 370 whose orders are yet to be placed, the reports said.
Air India’s latest Airbus deal comprises 210 A320/321 Neo/XLR aircraft, and 40 A350-900/1000 planes. The Boeing deal is for the acquisition of 190 737-Max planes, 20 787 aircraft, and 10 777s planes.
Most of the 40 A350 aircraft will be used for Air India’s ultralong-haul routes or flights lasting over 16 hours. For this fleet, the airline will require 30 pilots, including 15 commanders and as many first officers, per aircraft. So, in all, Air India will need nearly 1,200 pilots for A350s alone.
Besides, each Boeing 777 will require 26 pilots, meaning 260 pilots for this 10-aircraft fleet. Likewise, each Boeing 787 will require 20 pilots, translating into 400 pilots for this fleet as well.
In all, the company will need 660 pilots when it inducts 30 wide-body Boeing planes.
On average, a narrow-body plane—Airbus A320 or Boeing 737 Max—requires 12 pilots, which means the company may need 4,800 pilots to operate 400 such planes.
On Thursday, Air India Chief Commercial Officer Nipun Agarwal was quoted as saying that “the order comprises 470 firm aircraft, 370 options, and purchase rights to be procured from Airbus and Boeing over the next decade.”
In a new initiative, Air India recently announced plans to set up a pilot training academy, being headed by AirAsia India’s former CEO Sunil Bhaskaran. It will rival the biggest and the best anywhere in the world, Air India Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Campbell Wilson said.
“Over the coming years, the ambitious new Air India and aviation industry generally will require thousands of home-grown pilots, engineers, cabin crew, airport managers, and other function specialists. As India’s flagship airline, we have the need and duty to develop this talent.”
