The job crunch for trained pilots in India is pushing them to go abroad where working conditions may not be as good. Employment opportunities in domestic airlines and national carriers of other countries lands them in small countries especially in the Gulf, Middle-east and South-East Asia where the aviation sector is expanding.

As more details of the crash of a Lion Air aircraft in Indonesia trickles in, it transpires that Captain Bhavye Suneja, who was piloting the ill-fated plane, wanted to return to India. Like him, most Indian pilots working abroad if given a chance would like to return to India.

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Due to the rate of expansion of the aviation sector in the Gulf and South East Asia jobs are easily available for Indian pilots in these parts of the world. Apart from Lion Air, Silk Air, Scoot, Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways are some of the airlines that hire pilots from India.

But there is another catch here. A pilot after getting a commercial pilot’s license is also desperate to get a job somehow. Unless they practice what they have been trained for, the expenditure on training even if it is in the US or UK goes down the drain. “Small countries are short of skilled airline pilots, so they hire from India and other countries,” said a pilot from India.

The choices of an Indian pilot are limited as bigger airlines like British Airways and Lufthansa give preference to nationals of their own countries. “There are only nine airlines worldwide which hire pilots from India,” said the pilot from India.

He said Indian pilots are much in demand there. “Lion Airlines has a contract with a flying academy in India and there are many more Indian pilots working in the airline,” said the pilot.

Domestic airlines in foreign countries are hiring from India because the Indian regulator, Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has a good safety record. No serious safety concern has been raised in the recent safety audit done by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).

“Any pilot from India must have a licence from DGCA and the Indian regulator has a good safety record,” said Captain Vikram Yadav, who was an office-bearer in the Indian Commercial Pilots Association.

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Captain Yadav said what lures a pilot to a foreign country is the job shortage in India. But, a pilot faces a lot of homesickness in a foreign country along with the culture shock of working abroad. The family life gets disturbed. “Job security is just one of the primary reasons why pilots go abroad,” said Captain Yadav.

A commercial pilot who is hired as a first officer in an airline gets a salary of Rs 4 to Rs 5 lakh per month anywhere in the world. If he is in India, he will save some money as the cost of living is very high in a country like Singapore. “What is the point of staying abroad when one cannot save money,” said a pilot. In the Gulf and Middle-east countries, there are numerous restrictions.

In Saudi Arabia, there are restrictions on women driving alone.

“The lifestyle is also stressful in the Gulf countries for Indians as you have to observe certain restrictions according to Islamic laws. It is more liberal in Qatar and the Emirates,” said a pilot.

Emirates carrier Etihad Airways and Qatar carrier Qatar Airways, according to the pilot, have some Indians working.