A Superheated Shortage

The ongoing pilot shortage, which has been decades in the making, has recently delivered satisfying scenes of deferred comeuppance, according to a professional pilot.

Sam Weigel

Monday, April 17, 2023 at 01:39 PM ET

Verified

The pilot shortage has been three decades in the making, writes Sam Weigel. [Credit: iStock]

Key Takeaways:

A severe pilot shortage has led to unprecedented, record-breaking pay raises for regional airline pilots, with some new first officers seeing nearly 90% increases.
The author views these substantial pay increases as a deserved "comeuppance" for airlines that previously suppressed regional pilot wages, now compelled to reverse past policies to attract and retain staff.
Despite the current booming recruitment and rapid advancement of junior pilots, the author questions the long-term sustainability of this "superheated" market, cautioning new pilots about the cyclical and potentially ruthless nature of aviation downswings.

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Great news, friends: This week, my airline agreed to a record-breaking pilot contract. Among other golden nuggets, it contains an eye-watering 88 percent raise for new first officers and a nearly-as-impressive 61 percent raise for captains!

Now, before you rush down to your local Western Union to wire congratulatory telegrams, I should clarify that this agreement does not apply to yours truly and my fellow mainline pilots, but rather to the small-jet crews at our wholly-owned regional airline. I’m quite happy for them, mind you, because they’re a hardworking team. I did their job for a decade for a lot less pay, and I know they’ve earned everything coming to them.