Air India has recently sent out a stern reminder to its pilots regarding the urgency of their license renewal. This came in the form of an email which reminded them to submit required paperwork and complete the necessary processes prior to their license expiry. In the email, Air India stated that numerous warnings and reminders have already been sent out and if the pilots continue to delay their renewal process, they will face disciplinary as well as monetary penalties.
At the same time Air India’s training department has been made available to assist the pilots in order to minimise delays. The email also mentions that pilots will be issued a caution letter if the renewal process is not initiated at least 45 days prior to the expiry of their license.
This move has been encouraged by the current CEO of Air India, Campbell Wilson. In a recent address to the cabin crew and pilots, he stated that 90% of the cabin crew and a majority of the pilots have accepted the revised contract.
The mail applies to pilots in the North Zone and one Air India Pilot, who chose to remain anonymous, said that the email might be indicative of stricter measures to come due to most of the pilots opting not to sign the revised contract presented by Air India.
Air India is a flag carrier of India and a major international airline based in Delhi, India. It is owned by Air India Limited, a Government of India enterprise, and operates a fleet of Airbus and Boeing aircraft, particularly Airbus A320 family, Boeing 787 Dreamliner, Boeing 777 and other cargo aircraft. In 2019, it was the third largest airline in India in terms of passengers carried. Since 2018, Air India has been the largest international carrier out of India with an 18.6% market share and is the fifteenth largest airline in Asia with a fleet of 125 aircraft.
Campbell Wilson is the current Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Air India, since August 2018. A seasoned aviation professional, he is a member of the International Airlift Association (IATA) and was previously the Senior Vice President, Head of Sales and Distribution. Wilson has over 27 years of experience in the airlines and travel industry, having worked with airlines in Africa, Europe and Australia. Under his guidance, Air India has seen a 50% growth in the market share of International and Domestic Flights.
