NEW DELHI: Jet Airways has started phasing out its expatriate pilots. The airline will send back about 25 expatriate pilots by mid-September and the process will continue.

The action comes after one of it expat pilots allegedly made racial comments against two Indians, including a physically challenged passenger this April and cricketer Harbhajan Singh tweeted about it.

The union of Jet’s Indian pilots, National Aviators’ Guild, then asked members not to fly with the expat pilots. The decision was relaxed after the airline assured action against the wrongdoers.

Jet had recently asked 318 junior pilots to take 10 days off in a month — meaning at least 30% pay cut. While expats have higher salaries, Jet says the move is more than just cost cutting.

“Our chairman wants career progression for Indian pilots,” said a senior official. Jet has close to 2,000 pilots of which about 100 are expats.

