I understand there is a huge pilot shortage approaching and I do know that the regionals are hiring like crazy currently. Will this in turn force the airlines to increase pilot pay? I would assume not, but I don't know the ins and outs of the airlines. What other changes to the industry can we expect to see? As far as pilots go. Just wondering

 

There is no "shortage" per se. There are plenty of qualified pilots. There is a shortage of applicants at the regional level. Some of these regional airlines are so desperate, they are "interviewing" over the phone and offering class dates without any face-to-face interaction. Pilots are seeking better avenues of employment like military, charter, fractional, corporate, etc..... Airlines will never be 'forced' to increase pay, at least in a deregulated market. There will always be start up airlines every few years undercutting the current competition.

When more and more pilots fresh out of flight school/college become educated of pay and quality of life and in turn no longer apply for 25-30k/year regional airline pilot jobs, that will send a strong message to these management teams.

 

There's no pilot shortage. There never has been. It's been forecast for a long time, and is not reality. Colleges and flight schools and Kit Darby thrive on pushing the rumor.

Because entry level bottom feeder operators are struggling for personnel does not equate to a pilot shortage. It's simply a matter of poor employers who won't pay enough to attract qualified personnel.

There is a temporary gap created by the requirement to hold ATP minimums, but with the exception of a few years, that was never an issue. Pilots always needed higher numbers to get hired. For a period, pilots were getting in with 250 hours and the airlines had a ready supply of dirt cheap labor. That window has closed, and pilots need to go elsewhere to earn the few hours necessary to get on with a regional. Not a big deal.

There's no pilot shortage; just a shortage of those qualified, willing to work for low wages for the bottom tiers of the industry. Don't confuse the two.

 

Could you expand a little bit on charter and fractional. I've always thought that the majors are the best route in terms of highest salary. Also how do you get
into one of those gigs? Do they require more experience and what is the typical pay/benefits?

Thanks

 

This is the absolute bottom line. If the regionals/supplementals raised their pay, the "problem" would evaporate.

 

It's an airline surplus.

 

It looks like the regionals are going to start raising pay.

 

Really? Above the poverty line?

 

Barely - in the $40/hr range (so $20/hr for a normal job)...

But what's the catch, Fast Food Workers are ready to go on strike for $15/hr...so i'm willing to say, $40/hr really isn't good enough (but its a step in the right direction)

 

How many hours of paid time can a pilot really expect to make each year. And what would that salary be if they were making $40/hr