Bipin Shah   Self Employed
NEW DELHI: In the five months following the horrific Mangalore crash that left 160 people, including six crew, dead, Air India Express is witnessing a virtual exodus of its cabin crew. Nearly 50 airhostesses and flight stewards have quit since then, citing poor working conditions.

Now the international budget airline is facing such a staff crunch that it is planning to get new recruits trained by its main competitor - Jet Airways. Reason: State-run AI's own training process, where this job could be done at no extra cost, takes four to six months whereas Jet has told the Maharaja's poor cousin that it will do the same in 25 working days for a fee.

For its current fleet of 21 aircraft AI Express requires 440 cabin crew members and the airline has taken crew on contract since inception. The number has fallen in past five months and today there's a shortage of 79 staffers . As a result, the airline barely manages to utilise 17 planes optimally. The opportunity cost of each aircraft lying under-utilised due to absence of cabin crew is $13,000 (Rs 5.7 lakh at an exchange rate of Rs 44) per day. While AI has a facility to train crew for Boeing in Mumbai, the erstwhile Indian Airlines has a facility to prepare crew for Airbus in Hyderabad.

"New recruits will be able to start flying as cabin crew four to six months after their training begins at the AI or IA facilities. There's severe competition on south India-Gulf routes (AI Express' bread and butter) from Gulf LCCs. AI Express does not have time to lose," said a senior official. Jet was shortlisted as it's a DGCA-certified type rated training organisation for Boeing 737, the aircraft AI Express uses.

When contacted, an airline spokesman said: "We sought quotes from private airlines having type rated facilities for cabin crew training on Boeing 737-800 . The offers are being evaluated. The objective is to tide over acute shortage of cabin crew and consequent less than optimal utilisation of the fleet."
Oct 23rd 2010 06:29