Air India Reverses Decision to Reassign 787-Piloted Trained Staff

After a public outcry following a report in HT last month, Air India has announced it will send its pilots who were trained to fly the Boeing 787 Dreamliner back to the 787 fleet. Initially, the airline had started transferring these pilots to its Airbus fleet, prompting widespread criticism. The decision to reassign these pilots is seen as a reversal of the airline's previous policy, which aimed to optimize the use of its pilots on different fleets.

The controversy arose when Air India began transferring pilots trained to fly the 787 back to the Airbus fleet, barely two years after investing heavily in their training. This move was seen as counterintuitive, given the significant costs associated with training pilots for a specific aircraft.

Key Takeaways:

• Air India initially transferred pilots trained to fly the 787 Dreamliner to the Airbus fleet, sparking a public outcry.
• The airline had assigned a 1:1 ratio of pilots from Air India and erstwhile Indian Airlines to fly the 787 when it inducted the aircraft in 2012.
• A five-year lock-in period was established to ensure pilots stay on a specific fleet before they can be transferred.
• The reassignment of pilots to their original 787 fleet is seen as a reversal of the airline's previous policy.
• Aviation expert Subhash Goyal believes that pilots should stay on a fleet for a minimum of 5-7 years to justify the expenses involved in their training.
• The move has been welcomed by pilots who were transferred back to the 787 fleet, citing the inefficient use of resources and the need for pilots to gain experience on a single fleet.

Statistics:

• 1:1 ratio of pilots from Air India and erstwhile Indian Airlines assigned to fly the 787 Dreamliner when it was inducted in 2012.
• Five-year lock-in period established by Air India for pilots trained to fly the 787.
• 787 pilots were transferred to the Airbus fleet, prompting widespread criticism.
• Minimum 5-7 year tenure for pilots on a single fleet to justify training expenses, according to aviation expert Subhash Goyal.

Sources:

• Hindustan Times article published on May 2, 2019.
• Interview with aviation expert Subhash Goyal.