Air India’s pilot exodus raises safety worries

The Airline Pilots’ Association of India (ALPA India) has expressed concerns over the loss of experienced pilots in the Air India Group, viewing pilot attrition as a significant safety issue rather than just an employment or remuneration matter. In an open letter to Tata Trusts Chairman Noel Tata, ALPA India President Capt. Sam Thomas urged the Tata Group to review pilot retention, fatigue management, training, fleet transitions, and safety systems across Air India and Air India Express.

The association highlighted that experienced pilots are repositories of operational judgment and institutional memory, making them valuable safety assets, and expressed worry over the attrition, particularly at Air India Express, which they attribute to factors such as inadequate remuneration, reduced benefits, and deteriorating working conditions.

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