Summary
- Pilot hiring in the US decreased by 6.2% in 2023, with some airlines even halting their hiring process and training programs.
- Despite the general decrease, several airlines, including Allegiant, American, Delta, and Southwest, hired a record variety of pilots in 2023.
- While recruitment is anticipated to level off in 2024, pilot hiring remains to be projected to stay at around 75% in comparison with pre-pandemic levels.
Per the Future and Lively Pilot Advisors (FAPA), which is a pilot profession advisory firm, the US experienced a slight decline within the variety of pilots hired throughout 2023. FAPA reported that major US airlines recorded 12,335 total recent hires within the pilot position. This was a 6.2% decrease when put next to the previous 12 months. FAPA receives data and tracks information from thirteen major airlines which can be positioned in the US.
Decrease within the hiring of pilots
Overall hiring barely decreased from 2022, by about 6.2%. Several airlines were affected, with some even halted the hiring process entirely. In November, the ultra-low-cost carrier Spirit Airlines revealed it was offering voluntary exit packages for existing employees. In October, Spirit Airlines also halted all pilot hiring and ceased pilot training for those already hired.
Photo: Joe Kunzler | Easy Flying
Moreover, Delta Air Lines announced earlier this 12 months that it was planning to reduce pilot recruitment in 2024. The airline plans to rent fewer pilots overall in comparison with previous years when hiring was increased as a result of the top of the COVID-19 pandemic. Overall, Delta Air Lines plans to rent just over 1,000 pilots, which is lower than half the variety of pilots hired in 2023. Delta Air Lines officials commented to Skift about scaling back hiring, saying,
“Delta’s 2024 hiring projections are representative of a continued healthy and robust demand for pilots. What we anticipate for the approaching 12 months is a really strong, yet more normalized, growth pattern that’s reflective of Delta’s full operational restoration post-pandemic and continued give attention to industry leadership.”
Also affected were major cargo carriers. In November, FedEx announced it was encouraging pilots to start moving to regional carriers as possible alternative opportunities. FedEx also recently began imposing flight hour cuts for pilots as a result of overstaffing issues. The cargo carrier also began implementing early retirement incentives for pilots.
Continuing high rates of hiring
Even with the slight decrease within the variety of pilots hired overall, several airlines recorded record-breaking numbers in hiring. In response to data from FAPA, Allegiant Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and Southwest Airlines all hired a record variety of pilots. Southwest Airlines recorded the biggest increase, because the airline hired 776 more pilots in 2023 than in 2022, per AirlineGeeks. Moreover, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines hired a combined 57% of all pilots in 2023.
Photo: John Gress Media Inc | Shutterstock
United Airlines recorded the best variety of hirings in October, through which it recruited 270 total pilots. The airline hired 2,296 pilots through October and almost reached the two,500 pilots it hired in 2023 with two months to go. This is basically as a result of recent developments within the training and recruitment programs. United Airlines launched a brand new training facility – the United Aviate Academy (UAA) – in 2022 in Arizona, also investing over $100 million in upgrades to its pilot training center in Denver, Colorado.
Whilst recruitment begins to level off for a lot of airlines, FAPA predicts that pilot hiring in 2024 will remain at roughly 75% in comparison with 2022 and 2023. This, nonetheless, remains to be higher than trends before the COVID-19 pandemic.