Global air travel trends and a wave of coming retirements are fueling an unprecedented demand for airline pilots that is already being felt. Regional carriers including Republic Airways, Cape Air and Horizon Air have had to cancel flights and cutback their schedules due to a shortage of pilots, and forecasts indicate the trend will accelerate. Boeing’s 2017 Pilot Outlook calculates airlines in North America will require 117,000 new pilots over the next 20 years, while globally about 637,000 new crewmembers will be needed. Moreover, these figures are 3.6 percent higher than the forecast of just a year ago, as the true dimensions of the expected shortage take shape. Airbus’s 2017 global forecast predicts some 534,000 new pilots will be needed by 2036 just to fly passenger airliners of 100 seats or more.
The Pilot Shortage Trend is Creating Tremendous Opportunities
Key Takeaways:
- The airline industry faces an unprecedented and accelerating global pilot shortage, driven by increased air travel demand and a wave of upcoming retirements, leading to flight cancellations and reduced schedules, especially at regional carriers.
- Airlines are engaged in an "arms race" for pilots, with regional carriers offering substantial financial incentives (e.g., bonuses, higher first-year pay) and dramatically reduced upgrade times to attract and retain qualified crew.
- This severe pilot demand creates significant opportunities for aspiring pilots, with accelerated training programs and faster progression pathways to major airlines becoming more accessible and financially attractive.
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