CHENNAI: Indian aviation sector is struggling due to lack of managerial expert and expertise in the sector and lack of a regulator to monitor the industry, experts say.Speaking at a panel discussion on Indian Aviation Industry, organised by Public Relations Society of India (PRSI), Jitender Bhargava, aviation expert and a former executive director of Air India said due to India’s high growth rate entrepreneurs want to set up airlines, but do not know when to exit.
D Sudhakar Reddy, president, Air Passengers Association of India, Chennai, said airlines has been a glamour-oriented industry and require deep pockets, but lack managerial expertise. Currently, the airline sector is struggling and consumers want a healthy industry, he said. He also highlighted the shortage of pilots in India and asked why the country is importing pilots when it needs to export them to other countries. Bhargava highlighted the need to set up simulators to develop the skills of unemployed pilots.
R Ramanathan, a former all India general secretary, Air Corporation Employees Union, Mumbai, said only growth should not be a criterion for the aviation sector, but a healthy growth based on good policies.
Sudhakar also highlighted about low cost airlines manipulating fares and highlighted there is a lack of proper model on what a cost airline should be. “They are just copying initiatives taken by the United States and Europe,” he said.