Alpa refutes myth of u.s. Pilot shortage
 

WASHINGTON – The thousands of airline pilots who are furloughed or working overseas when they would prefer to fly for a U.S. airline and live in this country makes it clear that no shortage of trained and qualified airline pilots currently exists in the United States, according to the Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l (ALPA).

“There may be a shortage of qualified pilots who are willing to fly for U.S. airlines because of the industry’s recent history of instability, poor pay, and benefits,” said Capt. Lee Moak, president of ALPA, “But thousands of highly qualified and experienced U.S. airline pilots are either furloughed or working overseas and eager to return to U.S airline cockpits—under the right conditions.”

Furlough numbers show no shortage of pilots who are fully qualified to serve as flight crew members on U.S. airliners exists, ALPA pointed out:

Some 1,154 ALPA members currently are furloughed from their airlines.
Comair Airlines closed in 2012, furloughing more than 850 highly trained and experienced pilots, nearly all of whom are looking for jobs.
ASTAR, Evergreen, and Ryan have shuttered their operations recently, putting approximately 800 pilots on the street.
In addition, thousands of U.S. pilots now fly for foreign airlines because those airlines’ stability, pay, and benefits are much greater than those offered by U.S airlines. For example,

The average first officer (copilot) starting salary at 14 U.S. regional airlines is $21,285/year plus benefits; Delta and United start copilots at $61,000/year plus benefits.
At Emirates Airlines, new-hire copilots receive $82,000/year plus a housing allowance and other extraordinary benefits. Similarly, Cathay Pacific pays new copilots $72,000/year plus a housing allowance and other extraordinary benefits.
Many expatriate U.S. pilots say they would return to the United States if airline industry conditions improve here.

Moreover, recent safety enhancements implemented in the United States—higher minimum qualifications for airline first officers (copilots) and science-driven, consensus-based rules to ensure that flight crew members receive the rest they need to fly safely—and have had minimal effect on pilot staffing. U.S. airlines have been active participants with ALPA, the FAA, and other industry stakeholders in crafting these safety enhancements and preparing for their implementation, which were first announced more than two years ago.

Capt. Moak asserted, “The real solution to preventing any future pilot shortage is for airlines to produce consistently profitable results. Congress can support this goal by implementing pro-growth aviation policies that reduce the tax burden on airlines and give the industry an opportunity to compete and prevail in the international marketplace.”

Founded in 1931, ALPA is the world’s largest pilot union, representing nearly 50,000 pilots at 31 airlines in the United States and Canada. Visit the ALPA website at www.alpa.org or follow us on twitter @WeAreALPA.


Well there you go...

Music to my ears, statement I can entirely agree with. As a regional airline applicant during the last two years I saw plenty of evidence that no serious pilot shortage existed. If a shallow one did indeed exist, it was of the sort Mr. Moak describes in his speech. Since there are no statistical numbers or practical evidence of a pilot shortage to be found from any reliable, unmotivated source, one is left to think that a disinformation campaign must be at work among interested parties who stand to benefit from the myth and its effects.

So basically the U.S. Airlines aren't short on pilots, but they're short on pilots... I agree with what they're saying though. The pay is too low, and they're not able to attract enough talent resulting in the U.S. Airlines creating their own little pilot shortage...

It's music to your ears because it justifies your inability to get hired anywhere...which is perplexing considering I know almost all regionals are snatching up qualified candidates each month. I have friends who were offered jobs at all of the "good" paying regionals. Each of them received multiple offers. I received offers from 4. Even ones who I felt had no business in a jet got hired within a month of applying.

I agree that decent pay and job security is what could solve this issue in a heartbeat.

Yes, not as much of pilot shortage as it is a recruiting problem. It couldn't happen to nicer bunch of guys. ;)

It depends on what you mean by "pilot shortage."

People under 65 with an ATP and able to pass a 1st class medical? No shortage.

People with all of the above and willing to accept the employment terms offered to junior regional FOs? Shortage.

...thence, any business which cannot afford to raise pay in order to satisfy staffing required by the business, while maintaining a profit of any kind, is by definition insolvent. This is true for ANY business mind you, so what's the problem then?

Regionals either raise pay at the bottom or, if their business model is such that it cannot raise pay and maintain its margin, then consolidate/shut down. Next...

As to the labor side, yeah nothing new. 10,000 RJ pilot jobs is not an entitlement. Nobody is owed a pilot job.

Oh I got interviews and got hired. So what was your point again, you're irritated about what? :)

Alpa refutes myth of u.s. Pilot shortage
 

Oh goodness...first page and we're already bickering. We are never going to get anywhere like this.

So, corporate welfare=higher pay?

LOL, the FAA blames Colgan...

FAA pilot safety training blamed for fewer flights

Must have washed out in training then.

If Alpa were a real union, PSA would have never taken those concessions in this climate.

No one has a bleeding heart for a guy with minimal experience whining about how he cant get a 21,000/yr. dream job at a regional airline.

Thousands of pilots applying for the job. There could be a demand for Crop dusters.

The more appropriate statement is "If the majority of PSA pilots voted NO, PSA pilots would've never taken those concessions." ALPA National is not allowed to dictate what pilot groups do. They can only provide guidance, legal advice, financial analysis, etc.

If an airline is BK(this is not about PSA but rather a hypothetical situation), and it comes to it's pilot group for concessions, would it be ok for ALPA National to tell management to go pound sand simply because ALPA is a "real union"? Putting pilots there out of jobs? The decision is up to the pilot group. Not ALPA National.

Alpa proves once again that they do not represent the needs of regional airline pilots

Don't you ever talk about cubdriver that way!! Mod ban coming.:D

If an airline is BK(this is not about PSA but rather a hypothetical situation), and it comes to it's pilot group for concessions, would it be ok for ALPA National to tell management to go pound sand simply because ALPA is a "real union"? Putting pilots there out of jobs? The decision is up to the pilot group. Not ALPA National.[/QUOTE]

I agree with you that once a pilot group votes on something alpa national can't not deny there opinion but the union is also suppose to protect the whole group from a group that might have other motives that don't help the entire group as a whole. PSA although they have the right to made a choice that will only benefits them and hurts a lot of other carries in the long run when it comes to negotiations. A proper union would come out and try to explain to the out the group how bad there choice could be.

Hmmmm, US regional: $17k a year and 40 year old wife or Chinese airline $17K a month and 25 year old Asian girlfriend.

Where can you get a $17k/mo job at a chinese airline with 1500 piston hours?

My point: Unlike plumbers, auto mechanics, lawyers, doctors, chefs, engineers, professional athletes, et. al., who can move laterally to another entity. The pilot may have to start all over again. I have 3 buddies who have done exactly this (fly in China)after getting laid off.

This is correct......

If your local wants to sell you down river, they can......and you as the pilot group can vote for or against it. If your going to spew venom, at least take the time to research the information.

Just change your piston time to turbine or what ever you like. The Chinese don't seem to care or have the same checks and balances like the US does.

Is it just me or has anyone thought why those 850 highly trained pilots are still needing to look for jobs? Being a member of ALPA and bought out by DAL why is there a double standard. How many NWA or Western Airline pilots needed to look for work after DAL took over? I know I know, someone will say the usual argument but "Comair was not a major, it wasn't a merger, they didn't have similar gage equipment....bla bla bla."
I still say this IS the biggest failure of ALPA and the industry as a whole.
Its ok though, there just regional pilots. Heell us mainline guys support all those regionals anyway and there is now way they could be equal to us real professionals. Our equipment is sooo much bigger. Right?

Hmmm. Be careful. They're still a totalitarian state and have some draconian penalties if they do decide to care care. Pilots are not accredited diplomats, you'd be fully subject to their justice system if they wanted to go there.

I know that I will probably take some heat on this one but here goes. ALPA has been lobbying hard to keep foreign airlines out of the US but just admitted that foreign airlines pay and benefits are superior to most US carriers. So why not let them come in and compete directly with our legacy carriers that have cornered the market? The only thing I can think of is that many foreign carriers are not ALPA. So is ALPA looking out for itself or the best interest of pilots?

Cabotage in a word. ALPA wants to protect US pilots jobs because the more foreign carriers allowed in and compete would take away US jobs. Not all foreign carries pay a higher wage. Its only allowed if its done by internal US carriers like mainline pilots wanting the flying back "no matter" how its done as long as they get the flying back.

ALPA is afraid of losing its closed union shop status, it doesn't care about the jobs part. Most of those foreign carrier jobs are better paying than US carriers.

There truly is a shortage of pilots outside the US and Europe. The US pilot pool is the primary means of alleviating that shortage right now. It would be hard in the current environment to bring in outside pilots at less cost than what US airlines already enjoy.

Cabin crews and maintenance on the other hand might be far cheaper if based offshore, so that might make economic sense of cabotage even if the pilots cost more.

I find it funny that ALPA is blaming poor pay and working conditions -- of which are a direct result of the contracts negotiated by them.

Negotiated by the local MECs and voted in by the pilots. Don't blame ALPA for that. There is a lot to blame national for, but a large portion of the blame can be found in the mirror. Both mainline and regional.

Stop bringing facts into the conversation. That's not allowed!!! :D

I look in the mirror and see someone who has never voted for a single ALPA contract negotiated on my behalf and also encouraged other pilots to do the same. ALPA national sends their lawyers to help negotiate these contracts and provides resources from the national level to help the local MEC. At the end of the day they also sign every single ALPA contract. Whey can't we put part of the blame on ALPA for that? If ALPA can't help stop the race to the bottom then what good are they?

Was this just a press release? Did any media body pick it up?
If two days ago wsj runs "pilot shortage article" this PR doesn't do anything but make pilots on message boards say "yeah".

Remember folks:
If it's bad = NOT ALPA who did it
If it's good = ALPA did it.

Haven't you heard? ALPA has a 1000% success rate in everything they do, they never make mistakes, EVER.