Air India to add 4,200 cabin crew, 900 pilots after record aircraft deal

Air India has planned to hire over 4200 cabin crew trainees and 900 pilots in 2023 as the airline adds new aircraft and rapidly expands its domestic and international operations.

Earlier this month, Air India announced a mega order to purchase 470 aircraft from Boeing and Airbus to support its growth plans. It has already announced plans to lease 36 aircraft of which two B 777-200LR have already joined the fleet.

The cabin crew, who will be recruited from around the country, will undergo a 15-week programme imparting safety and service skills, and will be coached to exemplify the best of Indian hospitality and Tata group culture. The training programme will include extensive classroom and in-flight training at the airline's training facility in Mumbai as well as familiarisation flights.

Notably, between May 2022 and February 2023, Air India has hired over 1900 cabin crew. Over 1,100 cabin crew have been trained in the last seven months (between July 2022 and January 2023), and in the past three months, approximately 500 cabin crew have been released for flying by the airline.

Commenting on the hiring plans, Sandeep Verma, Head - Inflight Services said, "With a sizeable aircraft order that was announced earlier in the month, more flights on international and domestic networks, and re-alignment of domestic routes with AIX connect, cabin crew will play a decisive role in shaping the present and future of the Air India group. Addition of fresh talent will also accelerate the pace of cultural transformation at Air India, which is an integral part of our Vihaan.AI transformation programme. We are also looking to step up hiring of more pilots and maintenance engineers."

After 69 years as a Government-owned enterprise, Air India and Air India Express were welcomed back into the Tata group in January 2022. The present management at Air India is driving the five-year transformation roadmap under the aegis of Vihaan.AI to establish itself as a world-class global airline with an Indian heart.

--IANS

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