About 30 pilots have resigned from Thai Airways International so far this year, not 200 as being speculated on social media, acting THAI president Siwakiat Jayema said on Monday.
ACM Siwakiat Jayema says only 30 pilots resign in 2014. (Photo by Apichart Jinakul)
ACM Siwakiat said the 200 resignations figure being circulated was an accumulation of total pilot resignations over five years.
The reports said 200 pilots had submitted resignation letters because of a lack of confidence in the company’s performance.
MSM Siwakiat told a press conference the 30 pilots who have resigned gave the reason that they wanted to fly different routes and different compensation packages.
He said it was quite normal for the aviation industry to have a turnover of pilots and it did not affect THAI’s operations because the company constantly recruits new pilots.
As of August, there were a total 1,350 pilots. All of them had eight-years of training and were highly skilled. It was quite possible other airlines may offer higher pay packages to attract them, said ACM Siwakiat.
The company recruited around 100 student pilots every year. These student pilots get support to study for two years, at an estimated cost of four million baht per head. After they finish the course, they must sign an agreement to stay with THAI for eight years.