IndiGo ramps up hiring across roles in growth push, starts culture training

Inducts trainee pilots after gap of two years

IndiGo is inducting trainee pilots after a gap of two years and is hiring across functions as it ramps up operations.

"Our current hiring efforts are broad based and cover several functional roles. We have also commenced operations to various new domestic destinations post the pandemic. At these locations we are hiring for airport operations, customer service and security functions. We have also commenced hiring for our cargo business as it continues to grow. Further we are hiring for roles across corporate functions such as digital, IT, finance, HR and sales," IndiGo said in a statement.

IndiGo, which is the country's largest airline, is operating around 1,500 flights daily. While it has added several new domestic routes, it plans to commence service to Muscat and Kuala Lumpur in May and Istanbul in June.  

The airline's average aircraft utilisation is around 11 hours a day compared to 13.5 hours in 2019. But with the increase in flights, aircraft utilisation will increase and this would increase the requirement of pilots.

In February, IndiGo inducted 25 trainee pilots for its Airbus A320 aircraft. While the airline hired pilots for its ATR aircraft fleet (largely to replace the expatriate commanders) during the pandemic, there was no recruitment on the Airbus fleet. Induction of junior first officers too was put on hold as the airline curtailed operations.

The junior officers that are being absorbed now are selected from a cadet pilot programme which the airline runs in partnership with flying training organisations in India and overseas.

"We have started inducting trainee pilots. Our intention is to continue inducting them for several months," said an airline source.  The airline has also started command upgrade training for first officers and each month it is training 20-30 first officers for the post of commanders.

Also, for the first time IndiGo has introduced a culture training programme for its junior first officers. This is to improve interdepartmental connect and build a culture of trust and respect among the staff. As a part of the drill, junior pilots are being asked to spend time at check-in counters or visit the engineering department to know their work processes, it is learnt.

 

The airline did not comment on the induction of trainee pilots and culture training modules.

However in a statement it said  "At IndiGo, we have established a strong culture of managing our talent in support of expansion, growth and succession planning.  Our training centre ‘iFly’ in Gurgaon has been preparing crew members and other employees with the most extensive and evolving training program spread across 99 days. IndiGo is known for the longest training programme across the globe."