Gearing up for anticipated air travel surge

Preparing for takeoff: Hiring existing pilots or training co-pilots to become pilots are among measures to meet the anticipated higher demand for air travel according to a strategy director at a local airline. — FAIHAN GHANI/The Star

PETALING JAYA: Several airlines here have begun moves to increase the number of pilots and ground crew in anticipation of higher demand for air travel in 2024.

Among them is Batik Air, which is expected to hire 120 pilots by the end of this year while Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG), which operates Malaysia Airlines, is working towards increasing manpower by 2025.

“Usually an airline will increase the number of pilots and co-pilots depending on the number of airplanes being operated.

“We are planning to increase our fleet by 10 more planes this year with each plane operated by a set of six pilots and six co-pilots.

ALSO READ: Airlines on the lookout for pilots

“This would mean that Batik Air will be hiring 120 pilots and co-pilots by the end of this year,” Batik Air’s group strategy director Datuk Chandran Rama Muthy said when contacted yesterday.

He said the airline has several options at hand to increase the number of pilots for the purpose.

“We could either hire existing pilots or train co-pilots to become pilots.

“Another good thing is that pilots with one prominent airline are usually retired when they reach 60 to 62 but are allowed under the civil aviation authorities here to fly till 65.

“We will be able to utilise the experiences of these pilots who will be able to impart their vast experience to our junior pilots,” he added.

Apart from this, Chandran said that Batik Air will be setting up a flight simulator training facility in Kuala Lumpur later this year to boost the number of pilots.

“We are focusing on the hiring and training plan to ensure our needs for pilots, cabin and ground crew is fulfilled to cater for the increase in air travel,” he added.

Currently, Batik Air has 459 pilots, 730 cabin crew and 500 ground crew.

Association of Asia-Pacific Airlines (Aapa) director-general Subhas Menon was recently reported to have said that air travel would have recovered by 2024 while the International Air Transport Association (Iata) forecasts airlines to make US$25.7bil in profits on the back of a record US$964bil in revenue.

Iata had forecast that demand for air travel in 2024 would reach 4.7 billion people, a historic high of about 4% more than the 4.5 billion people who flew in 2019 before the Covid-19 pandemic.

Meanwhile, MAG said that plans are in place to ensure sufficient resources to meet the increase in demand.

“As we move into 2024, we are expected to increase resources for our pilots and ground staff by 7% to support our growth plans towards 2025,” the group said.