Presidents of Regional Airline and Air Line Pilots Associations Argue Over Hours-Reduction Proposal

Scathing letters to each other reveal opposing sides of the debate on how to fix the pilot shortage.

Thursday, June 16, 2022 at 05:31 PM ET

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It's becoming difficult to fill pilot chairs on airline aircraft. Leaders differ on how to fix the problem. [File photo: Shutterstock]

Key Takeaways:

The Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) and the Regional Airlines Association (RAA) are in a public dispute regarding solutions to the pilot shortage, escalating tensions within the airline industry.
ALPA criticizes the RAA for lobbying to weaken pilot training and experience safety rules, asserting that airlines should instead focus on improving pilot compensation and career progression to attract and retain aviators.
The RAA vehemently refutes ALPA's accusations, arguing that ALPA's position on pilot experience requirements has changed and that the 1,500-hour rule doesn't directly correlate to safety, while also accusing ALPA of obstructing efforts to diversify and expand the pilot pipeline.

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There is a growing tension between two prominent airline industry stakeholders, and based on events this week, it could be a while before things simmer down.

The Air Line Pilots Association International (ALPA) is the largest airline pilot union in the world and represents more than 64,000 pilots at 39 U.S. and Canadian airlines. It has proven to be a powerful advocate for benefits for its pilots, from rest rules to compensation. Separately, the Regional Airlines Association (RAA) represents 17 North American regional airlines and 280 associate and non-airline members. This includes manufacturers of products and services supporting the regional airline industry. Considering that more than 41 percent of all scheduled flights in the U.S. are operated by regional airlines, the people that ALPA and the RAA represent overlap.