Eyeing the Exits

As Indian pilots scout around for greener pastures, Indian carriers, fliers will end up paying the price

Even as more and more Indians take to the air - passenger numbers crossed 160 million recently - there is one red flag that needs attention from all stakeholders — pilot shortage.

The pandemic took a significant toll on humanity and like many other professions, many in the aviation sector — commanders, co-pilots and cabin crew in particular — were either laid off or took sharp pay cuts as airlines globally struggled to keep their head above water (PTI)

The pandemic took a significant toll on humanity and like many other professions, many in the aviation sector — commanders, co-pilots and cabin crew in particular — were either laid off or took sharp pay cuts as airlines globally struggled to keep their head above water. The sector took a bigger knock than most others. Many airlines crew in India lost their lives to the virus while others suffered the stress of financial setbacks because of dwindled-down incomes. Throughout 2020 and 2021, aviation industry sources witnessed and cited numerous instances where those living beyond their means were forced to pare down. Others struggled to pay off loans and make ends meet.

A Turn for the Worse

As things limped back to normalcy, some of the financial stress lifted in 2022 and 2023. Yet in some ways, the work-life balance especially for a low-fare airline pilot worsened. Across airlines, commanders and crew said that their duty timings became longer as they waited around at airports and lounges for the next leg of the journey -- a double whammy as they did not earn for non-flying time, yet ended up spending many more hours on duty. In cities like Mumbai, crew now fear that the situation could get worse as the city transitions from the existing Mumbai airport to the new facility in Navi Mumbai. What is worse is that, typically, the rosters require pilots to do several very early morning and red-eye or night flights on several consecutive days, adding to their stress. A senior IndiGo commander who had been with the airline since inception left the carrier to join FlyDubai in 2022-23 when he found the airline’s work environment “too stifling and politically charged”.

In 2023-24, the news of two Indian pilots — one with IndiGo and one former SpiceJet commander who was with Qatar — dying on duty within a few months made headlines and created a buzz on social media. These were just two of the many health-related incidents involving Indian pilots in the two years when flying normalised after the pandemic. Several news reports identified poor health due to overwork, accumulated fatigue and stress -- faced by many in the sector -- as reasons for the untimely deaths. This brought into focus “cumulative fatigue”, which pilots said had been building especially in the low-cost airlines like IndiGo.

To deal with the health crisis that appeared to be building up, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) towards the end of 2023 drew up a new set of Flight Duty Time Limits (FDTL) guidelines, which for reasons the sector ascribes to united resistance from the airlines have been in limbo - the new guidelines would mean additional cost for the carriers. The new and far improved guidelines were to come into force from June, 2024 but have been delayed as the matter is - like several others - subjudice.

Changed Market Dynamics

If fatigue and a poor work life balance is leading to increased stress for the crew, shrinking alternatives is another worry. The closure of Jet Airways (2019) and Go First (2023) reduced available options and forced many to look for suitable jobs outside the country. “The entire market dynamics for us has changed and our options have shrunk by the day”, says a senior IndiGo commander, who applied to Air India in 2024 after their roadshows but is yet to hear back from the airline. Moreover, unlike most industries where a three-month notice period suffices, pilots are required to serve a six-month notice period, another matter that has long been under dispute.

But to make matters worse, two weeks ago, the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) president in a letter addressed to the minister of civil aviation (MOCA) alleged that the two biggest operators IndiGo and Air India had recently come to a tacit agreement not to hire the other’s pilots, arguing that this was detrimental to the interests of the pilot community and against fair competition. These were accompanied with letters on Whatsapp from IndiGo’s HR team informing specific applicants that recruitment was on hold for the time being and that the candidate would be contacted once hiring resumed. Pilots say that this kind of collusion would be the last straw because someone unhappy at his present job would not be able to switch as Spicejet and Akasa are not yet considered stable- enough options. The only option before an unhappy pilot would be to seek employment overseas.

Both the airlines denied the allegation, which, it seems, was based on a social media post that went viral. A senior IndiGo employee, who asked not to be named, said that the allegations were based on flimsy grounds and that three A320 commanders from Air India had just joined them the same week, after serving their six-month notice period.

The airlines maintain that keeping the pilots happy is a Herculean task and that the younger cohorts are driven by their earnings at this stage and they seek to maximise their flying times. A former DGCA official said that “there is a thin line between need and greed” and that often after a “decent increment by the airline, all fatigue complaints vanish”. A government official, who also asked not to be named, said that many Indian pilots left Indian carriers and opted for airlines like Qatar, which are notorious for their punishing schedules and rosters. If things are as bad as they claim, would they choose worse options?

Severe Set Back Before the Innings Starts

Pilots say that the odds are stacked against them from the beginning and that they would have incurred a heavy financial burden even before they stepped into the cockpit.

A primary reason behind this is the controversial cadet programmes introduced by airlines, which practically guarantee a job in the carrier but require a candidate to spend a substantial sum before they get the job. After getting the job, the new employee signs a bond with the airline for five years. “This is like a double whammy since one pays close to ₹90-95 lakh for the CPL (commercial pilots license) and type rating and then signs a bond. If I have paid for the entire training, why should I sign a bond”, asked one pilot. He argued that if the airline bore the cost of the training - like in government medical colleges - then a bond makes sense, otherwise this cannot be justified.

Airlines and private flying training organisations that run these cadet programmes justify it on the grounds that it is virtually a guaranteed entry into the sector (there is an excess of CPL license holders in India) and offers the candidate a good quality type rating, making him or her job ready. Also, the airlines are not forcing candidates to opt for cadet programmes.

But there’s no denying the fact that training costs have risen steadily. So, becoming a first officer and eventually a commander can burn a hole in one’s pocket. This too has been raised as concern by ALPA with MOCA and DGCA authorities, in a letter which argued that airlines are charging ₹60-70 lakh for type rating (after a commercial pilots’ license, which costs around 40 lakh) through their cadet and other programmes whereas the same type rating in the open market would cost ₹25 lakh or thereabouts. It is argued that the airlines are inflating the costs and pocketing the difference with the lure of a guaranteed job.

Hanging by a Thread : Tenuous Link Between Stress and Safety

All of the above leads to one clear conclusion : the mental health and stress levels of those who are in charge of our lives in the cockpit need to be better.

So therein arises a key question : is an overtired, stressed and/or resigned to his fate commander in the cockpit a safety hazard? There are no easy answers to this question, but incidents in the past have sparked widespread global concern about the mental health of pilots. This was after a GermanWings co-pilot deliberately crashed a jet in 2015, killing everyone on board.

Aviation industry officials, on the condition of anonymity, said that the situation in India was “already at alarming levels” with many pilots being declared unfit, some of whom have been temporarily or even permanently removed from duty by carriers. Whether this was a result of overwork or a general neglect of their physical state is not known. Government officials argued that while a physical examination is far more doable, gleaning the mental state was trickier and an even bigger worry. The assumption that everyone values their own life has now been proved a fallacy after the GermanWings tragedy.

As Foreign Shores Beckon

Meanwhile, ever since the Dubai and other West Asian carriers started recruiting again (after the post- pandemic lull), a steady trickle of Indian pilots has left for greener pastures. Actual numbers are hard to come by but calculations indicate that at least 1000 experienced Indian pilots are currently employed in the region for better remuneration, a less stressful work environment or a better work-life balance. This number is ironically almost equivalent to the shortage of commanders that is soon expected once new aircraft ordered by Indian carriers begin to come in and capacity additions are made. Moreover, airlines like Air India have been forced to hire foreign pilots to meet their needs, a development that led to major strife in the pilot community in the past.

The Center of Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA), an industry advisory body, in its mid-year outlook cites pilot shortage as one of the strategic concerns going forward for the industry. It would therefore be in the interest of airlines and the authorities in India to try and lure back some of the Indian commanders working overseas and ensure that this trickle doesn’t turn into a flood.