Mumbai: The newly launched Akasa Air is in a state of crisis as pilots resign. 43 pilots resigned within three months. With this, more than 630 services were suspended in the month of August alone. It is expected to cross 700 in September as the sudden resignation of the pilots has forced the carrier to cancel 24 flights per day .
As the pilots did not serve their mandatory notice period of 6 months (for first officers) or 1 year (for captains), Akasa Air was forced to cancel scores of flights each day, the airline’s counsel said. The airlines have approached the court following the resignation. The airline has also demanded compensation of Rs 21 crore, including the cost of training a pilot.
According to reports, the difference in salary has led to the mass resignation of pilots. Pilots who fly beyond the monthly quota of 40 hours get Rs 10,000 per hour. It was reduced to Rs 7,500 in the month of June. This is the reason given by the pilots for resignation.
Akasa Air, a brand of SNV Aviation Private Limited, commenced its operations in August last year (2022). The death of Akasa’s billionaire founder Rakesh Jhunjhunwala , few months after its commencement, had raised questions about the airline’s future funding.
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