"Flying is just not what it used to be. Long lines to go through security, cyberattacks on airport check-in systems, labor strikes, lost bags and cancellations. Now on top of all that, there is a global shortage of pilots and airlines are feeling the pinch. During and after the COVID-19 pandemic, pilot training was put on hold in many places as companies waited to see what the pandemic would do to the travel industry."
"At the same time, the pandemic inspired many senior pilots to unexpectedly retire early. More are waiting to hang up their wings, particularly in North America. This leaves airlines with the double challenge of compensating for a wave of retirements and finding more pilots amid increasing demand for air travel, particularly leisure travel. How many pilots are needed? The current growth in air travel has surprised many airlines, said Christoph Klingenberg, an expert in airline and airport management at Worms University of Applied Sciences in Germany."
Global airlines are struggling to fill cockpits as demand for air travel rebounds. Pilot training halted during the COVID-19 pandemic has created a backlog, and flight schools are struggling to train new pilots quickly. Many senior pilots retired early during the pandemic, and further retirements are expected, particularly in North America. Airlines face the dual challenge of replacing retirees and meeting rising leisure travel demand. Carriers are offering signing bonuses and fast-track promotions to attract pilots. Some propose raising the mandatory international pilot retirement age from 65 to 67. The US projects about 18,200 airline and commercial pilot job openings annually for the next decade.
Read at www.dw.com
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