GoAir seeks Airbus instructors as 35 pilots resign

Wadia-group run GoAir has 19 Airbus A320 planes and operates around 140 daily flights

GoAir is seeking instructors from Airbus after 35 pilots resigned in the past three months because of delays in career progression.

“Thirty-five pilots have resigned largely because of delays in command and upgrade training. There is a shortage of instructors and examiners (senior training captains) in the airline and the available pilot strength is deployed for operations instead of training,” said an airline source.

The airline has about 200 pilots on its rolls. A majority of those who resigned are joining IndiGo and Vistara. GoAir pilots have six months’ notice period and will be leaving the airline in due course.

While a GoAir spokesperson declined to comment on the issue, sources said the airline was seeking instructors from Airbus and planning to hire foreign pilots to meet the shortage.

The Wadia-group run GoAir has 19 Airbus A320 planes and it operates around 140 daily flights. Owing to shortage of pilots, the airline had cancelled all kinds of leave - except sick leave - of all its pilots in January. The pilots were also given a daily duty roster; earlier, the pilots could know their duty schedule for 10 days.

GoAir has 72 Airbus A320neo on order, which are expected to be delivered from next year. The airline was due to induct its 20th Airbus A320 plane but sold it to a US airline instead of inducting in fleet.

According to GoAir management, the decision to sell the plane was taken keeping in focus the long-term profitability.