The wind beneath the wings of wannabe air-hostesses and cabin crew members in aviation institutes around the city died a little on Wednesday.

“I was shocked this morning when I read about Jet Airways sacking so many employees. It is terrible news for someone like me aiming for a career in aviation,” said Reshmi Mukherjee, a student of Frankfinn Institute of Air Hostess Training.

Having paid Rs 98,500 for a 12-month aviation course while also pursuing her graduation, Reshmi is understandably scared by the crisis in the aviation industry.

Aviation institutes that have taken wing in town over the past few years scrambled to fight the fears of students like Reshmi.

“We have spoken to some students and briefed them about the global economic recession and how it is affecting every sector. We’ve urged them to understand the situation, not to get nervous and wait for things to improve,” said Sandip Sarkar, the centre head of Camac Street Frankfinn.

Led by Frankfinn, Pailan Aviation Institute and Air Hostess Academy, cradles for aspiring aircraft crew have boomed in Calcutta.

“The response in the last two-three years has been huge. We take in about 250 students every year, and the number of applications we get are about four times that,” said Saumik K. Deb, the director of the Pailan Group.

But the buoyancy has taken a beating in recent times. “We have had an over 80 per cent placement record, but placements have become difficult in the past three-four months,” admitted Deb.

Those in the training business blame the crisis on the mounting losses. “The running expenditure is very high, the fuel prices here are much higher than in other countries, and there is a high surcharge too,” explained Deb.

The sector is also suffering for not getting its basics right. “Everything grew, but the infrastructure didn’t grow,” said Samir Valia of Frankfinn, which churns out around 1,500 aviation personnel every year from three centres in town.

With jobs drying up fast and a feel-bad factor creeping in, the institutes are bracing for hard times — a drop in placements and applications — while putting up a brave front.

“This recession is a temporary phase. It has to take a turn from here,” said Chandan Ghosh Choudhury, director of International Institute of Airlines, specialising in airline and travel services management.

Valia sums up the forced optimism: “It has hit rock bottom. Things can only improve from here.”

Also desperately seeking a silver lining is Subhomita Nundun at Frankfinn. “I really want to be an air hostess, but god forbid, if there is a problem here, I’ll try for the hospitality industry. The skills required are quite similar.”

With the requirements being similar and hotel jobs not drying up yet, hospitality training could help keep aviation institutes afloat for now.