Air-India is hiring over 150 pilots over the next 18 months as part of its expansion plans, the airline chairman and managing director, V Thulasidas, said on Friday.
"We have about 39 pilots undergoing training right now and plan to recruit about 150 pilots in the next one and a half years," Thulasidas told reporters on the sidelines of the 13th International Aviation Conference, which began on Friday.
Refusing to be drawn into the controversy over the Shiv Sena's allegations that A-I was not employing locals as it's cabin crew, he said, "A-I is recruiting cabin crew from all parts of India."
Due to the increase in the number of applicants, Thulasidas said, there were personality tests to ensure that only the best were selected.
"There were a large number of applications. There was initial screening through personality tests. Next, there will be a written test, followed by a detailed interview," he added.