Government Reveals Nearly 14,000 Pilots Employed Across India’s Major Airlines
Six major airlines reveal massive cockpit strength amid passenger chaos concerns.
India’s six leading domestic airlines collectively employ 13,989 pilots, the government disclosed in Parliament on Monday, countering perceptions of an acute shortage triggered by recent operational disruptions at IndiGo. Air India and its low-cost subsidiary Air India Express together command the largest fleet with 6,350 and 1,592 pilots respectively, while market leader IndiGo operates with 5,085 cockpit crew members, according to data tabled by Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol.
Akasa Air has 466 pilots on its rolls, SpiceJet maintains 385, and the government-owned regional operator Alliance Air employs 111 pilots. The minister emphasised that pilot employment levels remain driven purely by market forces and the aggressive fleet expansion plans of individual airlines, rather than any systemic shortfall in qualified manpower.
Addressing the continued hiring of foreign pilots, Mohol explained that airlines resort to expatriate crew primarily when rapid fleet growth demands specific type-rated commanders who may not be immediately available domestically. He noted that the Directorate General of Civil Aviation has significantly bolstered training capacity by approving the induction of 61 new training aircraft this year and granting licences to two additional Flying Training Organisations in 2025, bringing the national total to 40 FTOs operating from 62 bases.
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The minister underlined that modernisation and expansion of training infrastructure are commercial decisions taken by FTOs themselves, with the ministry maintaining a hands-off approach. However, the DGCA rigorously aligns standards with International Civil Aviation Organization requirements and conducts continuous surveillance, special audits, and spot checks to ensure the highest levels of safety and training quality across all institutions.
As India’s aviation sector races toward becoming the world’s third-largest, the disclosure of nearly 14,000 active pilots across major carriers signals robust manpower availability, even as airlines grapple with peak-season pressures and occasional rostering challenges that have led to flight delays and cancellations.
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