Game Over for Regional Airlines?

The regionals need pilots with experience to operate but such pilots are suddenly in huge demand by major airlines.

Friday, November 04, 2022 at 08:56 AM ET

Verified

Regionals are competing head to head with the majors for qualified crews to fully staff their routes. [Courtesy: Shutterstock]

Key Takeaways:

2022 experienced an unprecedented surge in pilot hiring by major airlines, leading to rapid advancement opportunities within mainline carriers.
This hiring boom caused unsustainable pilot attrition at regional airlines, traditionally a low-paid "minor league" for pilots.
To combat the pilot exodus and staff flights, regional airlines were forced to implement massive pay raises, significantly increasing new-hire and captain salaries, shattering their traditional low-cost model.
The author argues these drastic changes make the current regional airline structure unsustainable and proposes major airlines integrate regional pilots into their mainline operations.

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When I started V1 Rotate late last year, it had already become apparent that the COVID-19 pandemic was going to become a footnote in aviation history, a momentary blip in an era of strong opportunity for professional pilots.

My employer had resumed hiring, as had every other airline and most flight departments and Part 135 and 91K operators. Flight training was proceeding apace, and United had just opened its new Aviate Academy. The coming year seemed likely to eclipse 2019 in terms of both training and hiring, but otherwise represent an evolution of the ongoing pilot shortage.