The Airline Pilots' Association of India (ALPA India) has raised concerns about the departure of experienced pilots from the Air India group, warning that the loss of senior cockpit personnel could affect operational resilience and flight safety.
In an open letter to Tata Trusts' chairman Noel Tata, the pilots' association has sought an independent review of the Air India group's pilot workforce, training and safety systems, with particular focus on pilot attrition, remuneration, rostering, fatigue, leave utilisation and cockpit experience.
The Air India group, comprising Air India and Air India Express, has more than 5,000 pilots.
ALPA India has argued that the departure of experienced commanders and senior aviators should not be treated simply as a staffing issue, as they carry operational knowledge accumulated over years of flying.
“Experienced pilots are not entries on a manpower spreadsheet,” ALPA India said in its letter, stressing the importance of their operational judgement and institutional memory.
The Association has particularly highlighted attrition at Air India Express, saying pilots have been leaving amid concerns over compensation, benefits and quality of life.
Three 2026 Incidents Flagged
ALPA India has pointed to three operational occurrences during 2026 that it believes merit closer examination in the context of changing cockpit experience levels and fleet transitions.
These include a hard landing involving an Air India Express Boeing 737 MAX 8 at Phuket in March, a tail strike involving an Air India Airbus A321 during a go-around in Bengaluru in May, and the August incident involving Air India flight AI2379 operating from Phuket to Delhi.
The Association has clarified that it is not attempting to determine the cause of these incidents or pre-empt the findings of official investigations.
Instead, it has argued that the occurrence of multiple operational events should encourage the airline to examine whether risks linked to pilot attrition, fleet changes, and the changing mix of cockpit experience are being adequately identified.
ALPA India's concerns come as the Tata group undertakes a major restructuring and expansion of its aviation operations, including fleet expansion and the integration of airlines, employees and operating practices.
Independent Review Sought
ALPA India has called for an independent assessment of a wide range of workforce and operational issues across the Air India group.
The review, according to the Association, should examine pilot attrition, compensation and benefits, roster practices, fatigue data, earned leave utilisation, cockpit experience levels, training standards, fleet-transition arrangements and trends emerging from the airlines' flight operations quality assurance (FOQA) programme.
It has also sought an assessment of the effectiveness of the group's safety management system (SMS), particularly in identifying human-factor-related risks.
The Association wants the review to be benchmarked against leading international airlines rather than being limited to compliance with domestic regulatory minimums.
Fatigue Management under Scrutiny
Fatigue management is another major concern raised by the pilots' body. ALPA India has argued that staying within prescribed flight and duty-time limits does not necessarily mean that fatigue is being managed effectively.
The Association has called for predictive safety systems capable of identifying emerging patterns before they contribute to serious incidents.
It has specifically pointed to FOQA data as a tool for identifying trends involving unstable approaches, hard landings, excessive pitch attitudes, go-arounds and high-energy events.
According to ALPA India, such information should be used proactively to identify potential operational risks rather than merely examined after an incident occurs.
The Association has also called for a stronger SMS that can identify human-factor risks arising from operational changes and workforce experience.
Fleet Transitions Raise Concerns
The pilots' association has also raised concerns about pilots transitioning between Airbus and Boeing fleets.
Such transitions require robust training, sufficient consolidation time and careful management of the experience mix within the cockpit, it said.
The issue assumes greater importance as the Air India group expands its fleet and integrates operations and workforces.
ALPA India has therefore sought an examination of the group's fleet transition policies, training standards and cockpit experience levels.
Calls for Better Pay, Rosters and Benefits
Alongside its safety concerns, ALPA India has proposed a broader pilot-retention framework covering compensation, working conditions and career progression.
The Association has called for remuneration to be reviewed periodically, predictable rosters, protected rest periods, effective fatigue-risk management, transparent career progression and meaningful long-term benefits.
It has also raised concerns about the fairness and practical utilisation of earned leave, arguing that pilots should be able to take the leave they have accumulated.
The pilots' body wants a non-punitive reporting environment in which crew members can raise fatigue and safety concerns without fear of adverse consequences.
It has further sought consultation with professional pilot representatives before introducing major changes to rosters, benefits, training programmes, or operational policies.
Salary Hikes Have Not Ended Concerns
The letter comes, despite recent steps by Air India and Air India Express to improve pilot compensation and strengthen retention.
According to media reports, the airlines earlier this month announced salary increases of around 9%-15% for pilots.
Air India has also introduced a one-time transfer allowance for pilots moving to Air India Express. The allowance ranges from ₹10 lakh to ₹21 lakh, depending on the pilot's rank and is to be paid in instalments beginning October 2026.
The measure aims to strengthen cockpit staffing as Air India Express prepares to induct around 40 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft.
Despite these measures, ALPA India's latest intervention indicates that concerns among pilots extend beyond compensation and include working conditions, rostering, benefits, fatigue and career progression.
Air India Expansion Puts Focus on Experience
ALPA India's intervention comes at a critical stage in the Tata group's transformation of Air India. The group is simultaneously undertaking fleet expansion, integrating airline operations and seeking to build a larger international aviation presence.
The Association's concern is that rapid expansion should not result in the loss of experienced cockpit personnel or weaken operational resilience.
It has urged Air India to assess whether the combination of pilot attrition, fleet transitions and changing levels of cockpit experience is creating risks that may not be captured by conventional manpower assessments.
The pilots' body has also pressed for employment and operational practices comparable with leading global airlines.
“Are we identifying and acting on the warning signs before they become accidents?” ALPA India asked in its letter to Mr Tata.
