India has flown past the rest of the world in recruiting female pilots. According to the International Society of Women Airline Pilots, India has the highest proportion of female commercial pilots in the world, at 12 per cent, despite the country’s patriarchal society, which typically frowns on women in such jobs. The figure is twice as high as in most Western countries, including the United States and Australia. Globally, less than 5 per cent of pilots are women, according to the international body. India is the world’s fastest-growing aviation market, with domestic capacity growing 22 per cent in the first half of the year, putting airlines under pressure to recruit.
What next? Though social constraints in India hamper recruitment rates, the incentive to join is proving far greater. Because pilot pay is based on seniority and flying hours under union agreements, it is one of the rare professions in India where there is no gender pay gap. The starting salary is US$25,000 to US$47,000 a year – similar to that of a corporate lawyer or architect.
