Air India considering fleet expansion, to recruit 500 pilots and 1,500 cabin crew in coming three years

Air India, the flag carrier airline of the country, might be hiring about 500 pilots and over 1,500 cabin crew in the coming next two to three years so that it can meet the requirements of its increased fleet size, which is soon going to be considerably expanded.

"We are planning to have 700 more pilots in the next two to three years keeping in view the fleet expansion. From last August till now, we have already recruited 250 pilots. So about 500 more pilots we are going to recruit. Advertisement for 400 pilots has already been floated," AI's General Manager (Operations) N Sivaramakirshnan was reported saying.

It was only last year that AI had sought to recruit 200 trainee pilots, (senior trainee pilot license holders with A320 endorsement), out of which only 78 could be selected. By the end of this year, about 150 more pilots are expected to complete their training.

As of now, AI has a count of 858 pilots, having lost about 100 pilots in the last two years.

"We have plans to have cabin crew of 3,000 personnel. Besides the existing number, we are planning to take 1,500 more in the next two to three years," Sivaramakirshnan added.

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