Rapid increase in global air traffic means demand of pilots is high and now frequently in a position to wish for airlines offering better wages and also better working circumstances, a situation that could crimp some low-cost airlines.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) expects nearly double to 7.8 billion passengers in 2036. The reason behind of rising demands for cockpit crew is linked to wave of retirement of baby boomers and the growth of global air transport.
It is certain that there is shortage of flight crews as been reported by various aviation intellectuals.
Looking back to Ryan air, Ryan air has already faced crisis of sufficient pilots due to scheduling issues which was forced to cancel 20,000 flights between September and March and another reason was a haemorrhaging of cockpit staff seeking better labour conditions elsewhere.
Within this year, low-cost Norwegian has said it has employed 160 pilots who left Ryan air and quarter of more than 600 in preparations to hire in 2017.
According to IATA, China is expected to overtake US as the world’s biggest air travel market in 2022. They have started luring away instructor at pilot schools like Enac due to shortage of pilots.
Germany’s Lufthansa which has snapped up half of the aircraft of failed rival Air Berlin and wants parts of defunct Alitalia, the question of securing pilots has become an existential question.
However a signal of its desperation has offered signing bonus of 20,000 euros for the first 15 pilots that were accepted to fly the aircraft it took over from Air Berlin in order to ensure it didn’t need to cancel any flights.
Lufthansa has committed to hiring 700 newly-trained pilots by 2022 over a long term.
