Exclusive: Air India rules out prospect of job cuts amid integration of four carriers

Amid the proposed integration of its four carriers and the euphoria generated by the mega-order for hundreds of wide and narrow body aircraft, Air India has ruled out the possibility of the existing 11,000 plus staff at the national flag carrier being retrenched.

“We have been very clear throughout this process that Air India has very ambitious growth plans both for its full-service and low-cost businesses. There will be opportunities in the new group for anyone that wants them,” Air India officials told Business Today on condition of anonymity.

The carrier will need more people than it currently has to support its future growth strategy, they said.

“Of course, the requirements of the job and the work environment will progressively move towards that of a private carrier. Part of the change is going to be about introducing clear objectives, performance matrix, rewards as well as consequences, and training so we can offer people opportunities to contribute to the new organisation,” said officials.

They declared that the airline group was all set for an exciting future with deliveries of 36 leased aircraft commencing later this year. Thereafter, deliveries of the new orders would start in 2025.

“Everyone should be excited about the opportunities that it brings for the nation, for the airline but also the individual careers,” stated officials.

Referring to the ongoing hirings, they said the airline had so far taken on board 100 pilots and 500 cabin crew per month. In addition, another 1,500 people had joined the company in non-flying positions such as ground services.  

“We have taken a little bit of a pause at the moment because whilst we go through this process of merging AirAsia and Air India Express and planning for the merger of Vistara and Air India. We want to ensure that everyone in the group has a position and a future,” said officials.

This would also ensure that the existing staff is retained even as the company undertakes large-scale hiring of new talent. The airline looking to merge low-cost carriers (LCCs) Air India Express with AirAsia India and full-service carriers (FSCs) Air India with Vistara.  

Ending months of speculation and intense bargaining with global aircraft manufacturers Airbus and Boeing, Air India formally announced an order for 470 narrow and widebody aircraft on February 14. The size of the deal would expand considerably if the carrier decides to exercise the option of acquiring another 370 aircraft from the world’s leading plane makers, taking the total size of the order to a whopping 840 aircraft.

Also Read: Air India-Airbus-Boeing deal: Airline will require over 6,500 pilots for 470 planes