ALPA India Flags Pilot Attrition at Air India Group, Seeks Independent Review

The Airline Pilots' Association of India (ALPA India) has raised concerns regarding the attrition of experienced pilots from the Air India Group, which comprises Air India and Air India Express. In an August 31 letter addressed to Tata Trusts Chairman Noel Tata, the grouping called for an independent review to evaluate pilot retention, compensation, roster practices, fatigue data, and utilization across the airlines.

Air India and Air India Express together employ more than 5,000 pilots. According to ALPA India, the loss of senior personnel is driven by remuneration that has not kept pace with expectations, reduced benefits, and deteriorating quality-of-life and working conditions.

The association's letter also addressed the pace of pilot transitions between Airbus and Boeing fleets. While acknowledging that such transitions are legitimate when properly regulated, ALPA India noted that moving between distinct aircraft philosophies requires rigorous training, adequate consolidation periods, and careful management of cockpit experience gradients. The grouping stated that it lacked confidence in how these transitions are currently managed.

To support its call for a deeper operational review, the association cited three incidents reported this year. These include a March hard landing by an Air India Express Boeing 737-8 MAX in Hyderabad that caused nose-landing-gear damage, a May tail strike involving an Air India A321 during a go-around in Bengaluru, and an in-flight control event on a Phuket-Delhi flight last month.

While noting that these occurrences should not be prejudged ahead of formal findings, ALPA India argued that a concentration of such events warrants scrutiny of the group's Safety Management System (SMS), Flight Operations Quality Assurance (FOQA) programme, training systems, and manpower policies. The letter emphasized that an effective SMS must be predictive rather than merely reactive, and that FOQA data should be utilized by management to identify trends before they result in serious incidents.

The Air India Group is owned by Tata and Singapore Airlines. Separately, Tata Sons and Air India Chairman N Chandrasekaran announced in August that he will step down from his role as Tata Sons Chairman at the end of his current term in February 2027.

"In large-scale business transformations and corporate turnarounds, human capital and institutional memory are foundational assets. When an organization undergoes structural shifts or rapid fleet transitions, maintaining workforce stability and clear communication channels with employee associations becomes critical. Addressing core concerns around operational safety, training rigor, and working conditions proactively helps mitigate long-term business risks and ensures sustainable operational continuity." — Dr. Shishir Gupta, Founder & CEO, StartupLanes