Parliament Question: Shortage of Manpower in Civil Aviation Sector

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CIVIL AVIATION LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. : 6219 ( TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 2nd April 2026 ) SHORTAGE OF MANPOWER IN CIVIL AVIATION SECTOR 6219. SHRI TANUJ PUNIA DR. KIRSAN NAMDEO Will the Minister of CIVIL AVIATION be pleased to state:- (a) the number of vacancies reported by scheduled airlines since 2023, year-wise; (b) whether any shortage assessment has been conducted in this regard and if so, the details thereof, year-wise; (c) the number of aircraft grounded due to technical defects or maintenance delays since 2023, year-wise; (d) the number of safety violation notices issued by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) relating to Flight Duty Time Limitation norms since 2023, year-wise; (e) the number of airports operating above declared capacity along with the number of operational airports with passenger utilisation below twenty-five per cent of capacity, State- wise; (f) whether the Government has assessed the impact of high taxes on Aviation Turbine Fuel and limited domestic Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) capacity on airline costs and if so, the details thereof; and (g) whether any review has been conducted on market concentration and systemic risk due to high market share of two airlines and if so, the details thereof? ANSWER Minister of State in the Ministry of CIVIL AVIATION (Shri Murlidhar Mohol) (a) & (b): There is no overall shortage of pilots or crew in the Indian aviation sector. However, there is a shortage of experienced commanders on certain aircraft types, which is being managed by employing foreign pilots under Foreign Aircrew Temporary Authorization (FATA). (c): Aircraft grounded due to technical defects or maintenance delays were reported as 356 in 2023, 414 in 2024, 567 in 2025, and 99 in 2026 (as on 25.03.2026). (d): M/s Air India was warned on 11 Aug 2025 for exceeding the stipulated Flying Time (FT) on Bangalore-London sectors of AI 171/AI 172 (May 2025). (e): Passenger traffic at airports vary depending on several factors such as seasonal demand, festivals, holidays, and airline schedules. During peak travel periods, higher passenger footfall may be observed at some airports which could lead to temporary congestion. However, airport operators continuously monitor passenger traffic and take necessary operational measures to ensure smooth passenger facilitation and efficient airport operations.;(f): Airfares and airline costs are influenced by factors such as ATF prices and VAT levied by States/UTs, with ATF being a major cost component. While prices are market-linked, the Government has taken steps to mitigate cost pressures by promoting domestic MRO through tax rationalisation, procedural simplification and infrastructure development, thereby reducing dependence on foreign MROs and lowering maintenance costs. (g): The Government constantly endeavors to ensure a balanced and competitive aviation ecosystem through measures such as rationalisation of traffic rights, expansion of airport infrastructure, facilitation of fleet induction and promotion of regional connectivity under UDAN encourage competition and capacity diversification. DGCA also monitors operational preparedness to ensure system resilience. ******