![]() ![]() The Air Line Pilots Association, the largest union of pilots in North America, says that over the past decade, airlines hired only about half of the people who received FAA licenses that let them fly airliners. Not everyone agrees, however, that there is a shortage. It is trying to increase retention and the training of new pilots after producing nearly 1,300 in the previous 12 months. The Air Force said it had a shortfall of about 1,900 pilots at the end of September. The Federal Aviation Administration raised that age from 60 to 65 in 2007, which pushed the problem off for a few years.įor decades, airlines enjoyed an ample supply of pilots, most of whom came out of the military fully trained and with extensive experience, but the military has its own shortage. pilots approached mandatory retirement age. Over the past decade or two, industry officials warned it was coming as travel boomed and thousands of U.S. ![]() The pilot shortage started even before the pandemic. airline pilots last year topped $200,000, according to the Labor Department, and was likely much higher at the biggest airlines. If ratified, it likely would become the model for deals with pilots at American, United and Southwest. New contracts are certain to include hefty pay raises that will drive up costs for airlines.ĭelta pilots are voting on a contract that their union says would raise pay by more than 30% over four years. The shortage is giving pilot unions leverage in contract negotiations that were paused by the onset of the pandemic. The lack of pilots contributed to a 52% increase in flight cancellations last year compared with 2021, although it is unclear how much of that was also related to weather and air traffic congestion. If a pilot calls in sick, often there is no one immediately available to replace them, and that is leaving tens of thousands of travelers stranded. Many of them operate regional flights under the names of American Eagle, United Express and Delta Connection.įaye Malarkey Black, president of the Regional Airline Association, says those carriers have parked more than 400 planes for lack of pilots, “and air service is collapsing as a result.” Black estimates that regional airlines are short by 8,000 pilots and the trade group says a dozen smaller cities have lost all air service - about 50 more have lost half or more of their flights - despite the broad rise in travel demand. The pilot shortage is most severe at smaller carriers that don’t pay as well and serve as stepping stones to the big airlines. ![]() Kirby figures that his airline, American, Delta and Southwest combined will hire about 8,000 pilots this year, up from the normal 6,000 to 7,000. ![]()
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