PM floats a plan to increase airline flight capacity, but a planes ‘ team claims hundreds of local high school graduates are still unemployed.
PUBLISHED: 6 Jun 2024 at 18: 21
The Thai Pilots Association is vehemently opposed to the government’s plan to partially stifle foreign planes flying with Thai aircraft.
The gradual resumption of planes, according to Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, has been a major obstacle to the tourism industry. One of the causes cited by airlines abroad is a post-pandemic personnel shortage.
He said while making a visit to the Thai offices of Agoda, the largest vacation booking platform in the world, that the government has now asked airlines to raise flights and increase their fleets to help drive the recovery of tourism.
Some carriers would like to see a Thai authorities pilot take the lead on the flight since Thai pilots are now only employed there.
According to Mr. Srettha,” We will talk about this issue with the Ministry of Labour in order to see if this limitations can be lifted temporarily.”
Teerawat Angkasakulkiat, chairman of the aircraft ‘ group, said the organization disagrees with the idea of allowing foreign aircraft to function for Thai companies.
During the epidemic, flights scaled down their operations, forcing them to furlough a number of Thai planes and freeze work of new grads, he said.
Thai student pilots have trouble getting jobs because they lack the experience to apply for jobs with international airlines, such as those in the Middle East, which require experienced pilots with licenses and enough flight hours.
The relationship discovered that some well-known pilots who were fired as a result of the pandemic have not yet returned to their positions of command because some airlines ‘ ships have not fully recovered.
” Thailand has around 1, 200 student aircraft who still don’t get a job”, he said.
Prior to the crisis, airlines generally sponsored pilot training to get specific type ratings, which take around nine months to complete, with airlines assuming all associated costs for the pilots.
Import international pilots may help to keep time, but it would lead to some Thai pilots losing their jobs, according to Mr. Teerawat.
Post- epidemic, some airlines have opted for a fresh pay- to- travel scheme, which is common among European carriers.
The system requires new graduates to give the airline for the education program, which may cost the equivalent of 1.7 million to 3.5 million ringgit, in trade for jobs, he said.
According to Mr. Teerawat,” some foreign-funded flights in Thailand have started using this work scheme.”
He claimed that the program is cruel because it places a lot of financial strain on recently graduated planes.
According to Mr. Teerawat, the Thai Aviation Academy produces high-quality pilots who have received in-depth training to run any kind of commercial aviation in Thailand.
He predicted that extending ships would require months or even years for flights to teach new pilots.
” Over a thousand scholar planes are also unemployed. I believe we may give them prior consideration. There is no need to start this task to foreigners”, said Mr Teerawat.