Mihir Mishra in New Delhi
In one of its largest hiring programmes since the Indian Airlines-Air India merger, the airline is increasing cabin crew by 700 to tide over the current shortage. New hires will be a mix of trainees and experienced staff.
"The need to hire emerged after we saw a shortage of crew. We will also need a lot of people for our expansion plans, with Delhi airport becoming our hub," said an Air India official, who did not wish to be identified.
Air India has 3,200 cabin crew and a negligible attrition rate.
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AI to hire 700 to meet its shortage of cabin crew
Image: Air India Express.Photographs: Reuters.
At the same time, Air India Express, the low-cost wing of the airline, is planning to induct four more aircraft and will require 74 new cabin crew members. This addition will help increase the number of flights from 168 to over 200.
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AI to hire 700 to meet its shortage of cabin crew
Image: An official looks at the newly introduced first class cabin section in Air India's new Boeing 777-20Photographs: Punit Paranjpe/Reuters
"Cabin crew training in India is among the best in the world. Many international carriers, especially West Asian, hire cabin crew at a hefty pay, leading to a shortage," said an executive with a full-service carrier.
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AI to hire 700 to meet its shortage of cabin crew
Image: Bar in Kingfisher Airlines.. . .
AI to hire 700 to meet its shortage of cabin crew
Image: Air India flight.Photographs: Reuters.
The government injected Rs 1,200-crore (Rs 12 billion) recently and Rs 800 crore (Rs 8 billion) in 2009-10, taking the equity base to Rs 2,145 crore (Rs 21.45 billion).
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AI to hire 700 to meet its shortage of cabin crew
Image: Air India.Photographs: Reuters.
AI's annual interest payment is around Rs 1,800 crore (Rs 18 billion) on debt of Rs 40,000 crore (Rs 19,000 crore is high-cost working capital debt) and has accumulated losses of Rs 15,000 crore (Rs 150 billion). The carrier lost Rs 5,551 crore (Rs 55.51 billion) in 2009-10.
The carrier wants to freeze pay hikes and promotions for its 31,000 employees over the next three years. It has an annual wage bill of Rs 3,100 crore (Rs 31 billion) and will see as many as 2,600 employees retire by 2014.
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