Bombay HC asks pilots to reply to Akasa plea
₹21.6 crore compensation, including ₹14.28 crore for damages to the airline’s reputation due to flight cancellations, rescheduling and grounding, ₹6.96 crore for loss of operational profits, and ₹36 lakh related to the pilots’ training agreement. Separately, the airline has also approached the civil aviation regulator, Directorate General of Civil Aviation.
“Considering that the acts of these pilots resulted in immense passenger inconvenience, Akasa Air has approached the DGCA and agreed with them to request the Hon’ble High Court of Delhi to pass orders for implementing the interim order in relation to the Civil Aviation Requirement (CAR) dated 16.08.2017 governing compliance of the mandatory contract notice period requirements by the pilots," said an Akasa Air spokesperson. In a clarification to reports of a potential “shutdown" of the airline owing to the disruption of operations as a result of pilots’ exit, Akasa said it has a 10-year plan covering pilot recruitment, training and internal career upgrades.
“We have enough pilots at various phases of training to fly over 30 aircraft," the spokesperson added. //WEB However, the airline reiterated that the aviation industry is heavily driven by manpower, and process and discipline are essential to this ecosystem that needs trained, experienced personnel to ensure safety and longevity of the entire operations.
“A shortage of pilots is an issue that the airline industry has faced for decades. As a team of planners, we are prepared for unforeseen circumstances and have contingency management strategies in place," the spokesperson said.
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