Garuda needs 1,500 new pilots until 2016

The Garuda Pilots Association (APG) says national flag carrier Garuda Indonesia will need 1,500 new pilots up until 2016, in line with its intention to increase the number of its airplanes.

APG chairman Stephanus Gerardus said Wednesday in Jakarta that the airline currently had 830 pilots, as well as about 60 foreign pilots working on contract.

“They should avoid using foreign pilots,” Stephanus said as quoted by kontan.co.id.

The APG is backing Garuda pilots’ stance on the company’s policy toward foreign pilots on the basis that the latter are paid much higher than local pilots.

It demands that Garuda improve the salaries of local pilots if it insists on also hiring foreigners.

Garuda spokesman Pudjobroto said the airline had been partnering with aviation schools such as the PLP Curug in Tangerang, Banten, and the Bali International Flight Academy to fulfill its need for pilots.

Garuda aims to increase the size of its fleet to 154 airplanes ahead of the ASEAN Open Sky 2015, from the current 80 aircraft.