Russian Federal Agency of Air Transport intends to abolish programs for training commercial aviation pilots, which could have a significant impact on the performance of passenger air travel, the Kommersant newspaper writes.
"The agency repeals its order from 2006, which approved training programs for commercial aviation pilots," the Russian Federal Agency of Air Transport said in a telegram to the Chelyabinsk flight school of civil aviation, Interfax reports.
As a consequence, about 5,000 active pilots who have graduated from both private and public schools may lose their air operating certificates.
Professor of the Department of Business Process Management in Production and Service of RANEPA, Galina Dekhtyar, speaking to Vestnik Kavkaza, noted that such a decision by will sharply raise the issue of the shortage of personnel in domestic air transportation. "This news was unexpected for the tourism industry, because they used not to worry about pilots - but now the staff issue will become very serious, especially since it has been raised at the state level," she pointed out.
It's not the best time for the aviation industry now. "In our country, airlines stop their work one by one for one reason or another. A reduction in the number of Russian pilots having the right to drive an aircraft will lead to companies being forced to compensate for their shortage by foreigners. But the cost of plane tickets with foreign pilots will be higher," Galina Dekhtyar warned.
