Originally Posted by
Firefighterpilo
Just counting the number on each regional airlines published seniority list I get 21,200 current regional pilots. How did you come up with only 9,000? Mesa, Skywest and Republic alone are close to 9,000 pilots.
I agree that I was not clear with my post above.
9000 is what the industry estimates as the number of regional pilots that are "hire-able" at the major airlines. There are about 18,000 in total, but each airline has a decent percent that are not current, do not have a medical, or are out on permanent leave. There are the lifers at each regional as well, people that will retire rather than go elsewhere. Then subtract those that can not get hired by majors (too many checkride failures, too bad of a criminal record, etc...) and you are at about 9000 total.
Of those 9000, only about 5000 are captains that are actually flying the line and building time. Those 5000 will likely get hired at a major airline in the next 18 months. The regionals can not operate with these 5000 pilots leaving. These are the captains, check airmen, and instructors.
Some of the regionals will be able to attract what is left from other regionals to keep operating. Look at what AA is doing by giving DECs $150k per year at their WO regionals. If you have 1000 hours at your current airline, and that airline is sinking, AA is hoping that you go to one of their airlines as a captain and fly there for a couple years.
Hiring in 2022:
American - 1400
Delta - 1200
United - 1800
Southwest - 1200
JetBlue - 600
FedEx - 560
UPS - 320
That is over 7000, and doesnt even include Alaska, Spirit, Atlas, Southern, Allegiant, and a few others.