It's good to see that many of the regional carriers are now aggressively creating alliances and recruitment contracts with Part 141 flight schools and universities around the United States. Some of these 'partnerships' have been in place for several years, but with the pilot recruitment shortage in full effect, the regionals are getting far more assertive (and creative) when it comes to staking claim to pilot recruits of the future and building a reliable recruitment pipeline.
Although these 'partnerships' will assist the regionals in developing a stream of recruits and prospects for the future, they will only represent a drop in the bucket in the big picture of demand for the U.S. airline industry that will continue to suffer the consequences of its poor pay and working conditions, in addition to poor morale and ongoing contract rejections and negotiations with their regional pilot groups around the country. ALPA's President, Tim Canoll, said corporate or government-backed loans could also help students pay their way through flight school. What a novel idea. He said large U.S. airlines could also promise pilots-in-training a job after they do a stint at one of the regional carriers. Large U.S. airlines will inevitably have to pay the regional carriers more so that they can offer competitive and livable wages, he added. Otherwise, carriers such as American and Delta may have to take over the routes that regionals operate, and the majors will have a real problem if and when that happens. . "We have to find a way to draw the picture for a young person considering the pilot profession," Canoll said. "They’re just not going to do it for $22,000 a year," he added, referring to the current typical starting salary at a regional airline. Read more about how some of the regional carriers are making moves recently in order to bolster their positions in an increasingly competitive pilot recruitment environment that the airlines face now and into the future.
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I'm fuming this morning over news that Delta Air Lines is suing its regional 'partner,' Republic Airways, due to flight cancellations caused by Republic's inability to appropriately staff pilots for its Delta-focused operations in recent months.
An 'explanation' for the lawsuit reads was reported from Indianapolis Business News @IBJnews: Delta Air Lines Inc. has sued regional contractor Republic Airways Holdings Inc., saying the carrier failed to supply a full schedule of flights as promised. Indianapolis-based Republic has been unable to fulfill an unspecified number of flights for Delta’s regional operation, Delta Connection, according to the suit filed Monday in state court in Atlanta. That led Delta to find replacement flights and occasionally re-book passengers and issue refunds, costing direct damages exceeding $1 million, Delta said in the suit. Republic responded to the suit by saying that it is not in breach of its capacity contract agreements with Delta. What really upsets me is that this situation was avoidable for both companies in that it has risen from Republic's 'pilot recruitment' shortage, stemming from two simple aspects that the major airlines, like Delta, are terrified for the traveling public and media to be aware of.
The full article can be viewed here. More information about the recently approved TA by the Republic pilot group can be viewed here. Please let me know your thoughts on this incredibly important, game-changing event for the airline industry. |
Author:The Pilot Liberator is a former corporate pilot (Part 135 & 91) and a current ATP-rated airline pilot (Part 121) for a well-known carrier in the United States. Archives:
March 2018
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