Korean Air is looking out for about 300 to 400 pilots to fly its wide-body airplanes, such as the B777-300s. With the objective of hiring the pilots of the now grounded Jet Airways, Korean Air will be holding a two-day road show in Delhi and Mumbai this Friday and Saturday. The road show is being organised by the Jet Airways’ pilot union, the National Aviators Guild (NAG), and is open to all ranks of pilots.
The job fair will reportedly be used to brief the pilots about Korean Air’s requirements, the growth prospects in the Company, routes, and so on. The Airline has a 167-strong fleet comprising both Boeing and Airbus planes, and flies to 124 cities across 44 countries.
Even though the former pilots of Jet Airways have been given three months to look out for new jobs, many pilots are still hopeful that Jet will be revived. However, the membership of NAG has dwindled from 1500 to about 900-1,000, with several members joining rival carriers, such as Air India, IndiGo, Vistara and SpiceJet.
Till now, only Etihad Airways has responded to the call for stake sale in the Airline. The Hinduja Group is also evaluating the scene.
Financial proposals are yet to come from the other investors, including TPG Capital (private equity firm), Indigo Partners and National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF), who had expressed interest. Two foreign investors have also sent unsolicited bids.
