In a significant move, the Airline Pilots Association (ALPA) India has raised serious concerns regarding the exorbitant training costs imposed by airlines on aspiring pilots. The association, a member of the International Federation of Airline Pilots’ Association (IFALPA), which represents over one hundred thousand pilots across more than 100 countries, has written to the Honourable Minister of Civil Aviation, urging immediate intervention and regulatory oversight.

Despite an acute shortage of airline pilots in India, airlines have resorted to charging trainees exorbitant fees under the guise of training costs. This practice has placed severe financial stress on the families of aspiring pilots, often resulting in them falling into significant debt. The ALPA India has described this as an act of “unscrupulous exploitation” that is unique to India and largely absent in the developed world.