Pilots’ unions oppose Air India's plan to recruit new captains

Two major pilots’ unions have opposed Air India’s plan to hire new captains, saying it would impact the career progression of existing first officers waiting for a command upgrade.

This is the first sign of tensions between pilots and the new management of the privatised air carrier.

The union of Air India pilots, Indian Commercial Pilot’s Association (ICPA) also termed the move as “dent on their morale" and demanded immediate withdrawal of the advertisement failing which, it said, could trigger industrial action. ICPA, in a letter to airline chairman and managing director Rohit Nanadan, has urged for a uniform career progression for the pilots.

They have also sent the copies of the letter to civil aviation minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju, secretary civil aviation and chief labour commissioner, New Delhi among others.

Stating that the ICPA has long been demanding for a unified career progression policy so as to benefit from the combined pool of pilots in Air India by optimum use, the letter said, “Our first officer’s who have been with the airline in the most testing times and have shown loyalty all throughout deserve to be upgraded to commanders as part of a unified career policy and any attempt to para-drop contractual pilots from outside will be gross injustice to the pilot cadre of Air India."

-B