Times of India 
 
NEW DELHI, July 28: An Air India A-310 plane recently created a major scare at the Bahrain airport when it landed on the wrong runway and not the one the ATC there had asked it to touch down on. The incident happened earlier this month.

The airline has since asked the erring pilot to remain "on ground" till an inquiry into this serious lapse gets over.

"There was no risk to passengers. Bahrain airport has two runways and our plane did not land on the one it was earmarked to touch down on.

The A-310 was till allowed to land on the other runway as there was no risk (meaning other plane landing or taking off there)," said an airline spokesperson. "The pilot will remain in Mumbai till the probe is over," he said.

Sources pointed out that the industry is facing a severe shortage of pilots because of which the DGCA recently raised the retirement age of pilots for commercial airliners from 60 to 65 some months back.

"Many airlines are now hiring retired pilots and inducting them after re-training. Since they have been out of practice for a while, mistakes can certainly take place," said an aviation industry insider.

In fact, on Thursday Union civil aviation minister Praful Patel told Parliament that apart from India, other national carriers were facing shortage of pilots.

Alliance Air had a shortage of 10 pilots each for its Boeing 737 and ATR Turboprop fleet. AI and Air India Express have a shortage of 85 and 22 pilots respectively.