Air India wants retirement age to be increased to 60

While AI has been hiring pilots since last year on contractual basis, it has not recruited people for functions such as maintenance and support.

With hiring on freeze at Air India (AI), the national carrier has proposed to the government to increase the retirement age of its employees from 58 to 60 – a move that has drawn mixed reactions with views divided on the issue.

Bengaluru : Air India employees with a passenger takes a selfie during the inauguration of the new Air India City Booking office at Unity Building in Bengaluru on Monday. PTI Photo / Free (PTI10_3_2016_000216B) (PTI)

“There has been a freeze on recruitment for many years now. It takes time to train newcomers. In view of the tremendous growth and increasing competition in the sector, we need to somehow retain our trained workforce,” said an AI official.

While AI has been hiring pilots since last year on contractual basis, it has not recruited people for functions such as maintenance and support.

With the airline having reported an operating profit for the first time in close to a decade, there is a view that it needs to retain trained staff in the face of increased poaching and competition by private airlines.

The matter, sources said, was taken up at a meeting at the Prime Minister’s Office last week.

“The crucial workforce of an airline are its pilots and engineering personnel. The question is whether those we will retain by extending the retirement age are doing specialised work? If not, then it would be a better idea to bring in a new and young workforce,” said another official.