New Delhi: Air India management has not learnt from mistakes. Despite running losses of over Rs 13000 crore, the management continues to take decisions that only pull the Maharaja deeper towards destruction.
Everyone thought the pilots strike would wake up the Air India management and start a process that would eventually lead the airline on a path to recovery. On the contrary, mismanagement continues.
CNN-IBN has learnt that Air India transferred about 70 pilots to Air India Express, its low cost arm based out of Kochi. These pilots were to be trained as commanders for the aircraft the Boeing 737, short-to medium-range jet airliner to be used for the Gulf and South East Asian destinations. They were to replace expat pilots.
These pilots were put on simulators in India and Dubai for over 5 months. Their training has been on for the past one year. The cost of training is anywhere between Rs 15-25 lakh per pilot.
If the flying time and cost of training is calculated, then it works out to over Rs 17 crore rupees.
And here is the shocker - the management has now decided to transfer these pilots back to Air India. Top sources in Air India confirm that the pilots will now be trained on the Boeing 777 which is a long range aircraft.
Why was this sudden change in decision?
Sources say Air India express was short of trainers to give the 70 pilots training in actually flying the aircraft after the simulator training.
Many of the pilots were also frustrated after a year as their chances of becoming a commander slimmed. They wanted to return to Air India.
Air India express realised their blunder only after spending crores on training and wasting precious flying time of these pilots.
Air India sources are also pointing at intense turf war between senior managers at Air India and Air India express for this bungle. As the management continues to fumble and lose crores the Maharaja already in ICU, continues to lose vital signs.
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