The state-owned Vietnam Airlines transported more than 15 million passengers in 2010, up 20 percent over 2009. However it faces with many challenges, including the shortage of pilots, according to a report by Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam (CAAV) on Wednesday.
Currently Vietnam Airlines has 658 pilots (about half are foreigners), 862 technicians and nearly 2,000 flight attendants. With 90 airplanes being operated, CAAV has to spend about 30-40 million U.S. dollars per year to hire foreign pilots with monthly payment up to 5,000-10,000 U.S. dollars per pilot, double than those for a local one, CAAV reported.
In late 2010, Vietnam Airlines signed an agreement with Bay Viet Flight training (subsidiary of ESMA Aviation Academy) to provide training for 60 pilots in Vietnam during the 2010-2012 period.
Vietnam Airlines is looking to expand its fleet to at least 115 aircraft by 2015. The national carrier will need a total of 1,200 pilots in the next five years.
Vietnam Airlines said 75 percent of the 1,200 pilots would be Vietnamese nationals.
