Aviation industry going though very difficult times: Nambiar

Kerala, Sep. 26 (ANI): Civil Aviation secretary M Madhavan Nambiar has said that aviation industry is going through a very difficult phase, turning thousands of pilots and other specialized staff jobless in the country.

Addressing Cochin International Airport Ltd (CIAL) aviation academy in Nedumbassery district of Kerala state, he said that the aviation sector has been hit by a slowing economy triggered by the global financial crisis, reducing business and leisure journeys of most passengers.

"The cumulative losses of airlines all over the world were 10 billion dollars and this year it is about 9 billion dollar. Airlines in India this year has made a loss of rupee 10,000 crores so this is the level of problem this sector is facing. We have 3,000 pilots today who are unemployed.

"They have spent more than 40 lacs (83,428.93 US $) to get the pilot license. So this is a very difficult time for all of us and it is a time where we have to pause, we have to introspect and see what we can do to revive this sector," he said.

Also, costlier oil pushed up airfares last year sending many passengers to trains.

Aviation industry's woes have been highlighted by a slump in passengers and have hit losses around nine billion dollars in 2009.

Nambiar said that thousands of trained commercial pilots in India are still looking for jobs even as they have spent huge amounts of money to procure their licenses in the country.

However, there is a huge demand for training in various professions like Air Traffic Controller he added. (ANI)