Section of Akasa Air pilots flags concerns over unfair practices; airline terms allegations untrue

PTI, Dec 14, 2024, 8:43 PM IST

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Mumbai: A section of Akasa Air pilots has raised concerns about alleged training and safety issues at the airline and sought the intervention of the civil aviation ministry, while the carrier termed the allegations as untrue.

Akasa Air, which has been flying for over two years, had faced pilot issues earlier also, and this time, the section of the pilots has also claimed that 84 pilots have resigned on one-day notice.

“We categorically deny these allegations as baseless and untrue. Nor do they represent the views of Akasa pilots,” an airline spokesperson said in a statement on Saturday.

Akasa Air also said that 324 pilots have joined the airline since October 2023, and during this period, it has recorded an annualised attrition of less than 1 per cent for this employee group.

In a letter dated December 11, written to Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu, the section of the pilots has sought an independent probe into the airline’s management practices, training methods and safety standards.

Seeking to counter the allegations, Akasa Air, in the statement, also said its monthly employee survey reveals that pilots, among all employee groups, have consistently reported the highest levels of job satisfaction, highlighting the effectiveness of our supportive culture.

“This dedication is further evidenced by the minimal number of pilots seeking opportunities outside of Akasa Air throughout 2024,” it added.

In October, the aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) imposed a fine of Rs 30 lakh on Akasa Air for certain lapses in the training of crew.

Akasa Air has a fleet of 26 planes and flies to 27 destinations, including five overseas cities.