50 pilots resign in a week, leave Kingfisher high and dry

MUMBAI/NEW DELHI: An exodus of pilots is perhaps the reason behind cash-strapped Kingfisher Airlines' recent travails. Thirty-five of its A320 commanders put in their papers on February 14 and joined rival IndiGo the next day. The blow to the airline was worsened over the weekend as 15 more of its commanders quit. In all, between 300 and 350 KFA pilots have quit the airline in the last six months.

The impact of the resignations has hit the airline hard, but not debilitated it because it currently operates just 16 of its total fleet of 64 aircraft. Of these 16, eight are ATR aircraft and the rest A320s that operate on routes like Mumbai-Delhi, Mumbai-Goa and Mumbai-Bangalore. The remaining 48 aircraft have been grounded for want of spare parts.

Industry experts said the departure of 50 commanders within a week is bound to affect Kingfisher's A320 aircraft flights. The carrier cancelled more than 50% of its flights on Monday, the third day of its mass flight cancellation crisis.



Kingfisher did not respond to a TOI questionnaire, but said in a media statement: "We have adequate numbers of flight and cabin crew to operate our schedule." It asserted the "prime reason for the current disruption is the sudden attachment of our bank accounts by the I-T department. This has severely affected our ability to make operational payments". IndiGo too chose not to comment.

Sources said that 15 IndiGo pilots are currently grounded because of medical reasons and the airline is hard-pressed to train A320 commanders. "The Kingfisher A320 commanders who joined IndiGo last week are currently undergoing the mandatory ground training," said a source. In about two weeks, the batch should be able to clear all requirements and start operating IndiGo flights.

An airline commander explained: "The last salary paid to Kingfisher Airline pilots was in the month of November. Add to this the fact that IndiGo made an offer that was too tempting to resist. The airline offered four months' salary as joining incentive, amounting to Rs 15 lakh, if one joined before February 15."

In contrast, Kingfisher Airlines' management recently sent a letter to its employees, promising a relief of Rs 5,000 to everyone since their salaries had been delayed. Industry experts said the airline's anxiety over commanders' departure can be sensed in a February 16 letter its founder and chairman Vijay Mallya sent to all employees. "I take delay in salary payments very seriously and am doing my best to keep it from repeating. For those who did not receive their salaries yet, the process has already started today and you will receive your salaries over the next 48 hours," the letter read. "I would like to once again thank you for standing by me and Kingfisher Airlines through these difficult times."

Significantly, unlike the pilots who resigned from the airline in November and December last year, the present lot of commanders do not have to serve a notice period. Last month, director general of civil aviation Bharat Bhushan had said that since the airline was not paying salaries, their terms of appointment have been abrogated. As a result, the DGCA CAR (civil aviation requirement) on pilots' notice period does not apply.

Both IndiGo and Kingfisher Airlines operate a fleet of A320 aircraft. Kingfisher Airlines also operates ATR aircraft and flights operated on these have not been affected as much. Fast-growing carrier IndiGo has placed an order for 230 A320 aircraft. Consequently, it will be scouting the market for trained A320-rated pilots. Other than Kingfisher Airlines, Air India and GoAir employ A320 pilots.