Akasa Air Pilots Flag Concerns, Urges Ministry To Look Into Airline Hiring Practices

A group of pilots from Akasa Air has approached the civil aviation ministry, urging an investigation into the airline’s hiring practices and operational procedures. The pilots allege issues with crew rostering, punctuality, and reporting of On-Time Performance (OTP).

In a formal email addressed to Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu, Civil Aviation Secretary, and the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the pilots highlighted their grievances, claiming inconsistencies in the airline’s hiring and rostering processes.

Key Allegations

The pilots allege:

• Unreliable Rostering: They claim the airline lacks a stable and predictable schedule for operating crew.
• Hiring Bias: Hiring decisions are allegedly being made arbitrarily by select individuals.
• Punctuality Concerns: Some crew members reportedly fail to report to duty on time.
• OTP Reporting Issues: Discrepancies in the reporting of On-Time Performance have also been flagged.

Recent Regulatory Scrutiny

Akasa Air has been under increased regulatory scrutiny in recent months.

• In March 2024, the DGCA suspended a Line Training Captain for lapses during a passenger aircraft landing.
• In December 2023, the DGCA imposed a six-month suspension on the airline’s director of operations and director of training for training-related lapses.
• In October 2023, the DGCA fined Akasa Air ₹30 lakh for irregularities in crew training.

Airline’s Response

While Akasa Air has not issued a statement regarding the recent allegations, it previously dismissed concerns raised by some pilots as baseless and unfounded.

Growing Challenges

The airline, operational for over two years, has faced multiple challenges related to training and safety compliance. These recent allegations add to the turbulence, raising questions about its internal practices and regulatory adherence.

The civil aviation ministry and DGCA are yet to comment on whether they will initiate a formal probe into the pilots’ claims.

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