A global pilot shortage is causing havoc for airlines, with no end in sight

Telegraph

a day ago

It's not the news that summer holidaymakers were hoping for. Amid staff and fleet shortages, a major airline has cancelled 1.5 per cent of its flights between now and October, which could affect up to 50,000 UK passengers travelling from Gatwick, Heathrow, Manchester and Edinburgh. Swiss is scrapping up to 15 flights per day from its schedules in an attempt to make up for a lack of around 70 pilots, according to the World Tourism Forum.
It says that the airline is hoping to mitigate some of the effects of the shortage by buying back holiday allowance and deferring retirement for some staff, as well as encouraging those working part-time to increase their hours. But Swiss isn't the only European airline facing difficulties.
Air France pilots have been commandeered to fly understaffed KLM routes and Finnair has slashed its summer services due to an ongoing dispute with pilots (though it appeared to have reached a tentative agreement last week). Meanwhile, both easyJet and BA have launched recruitment drives, with the former hoping to employ 1,000 new pilots by 2028 through its two-year intensive Generation easyJet programme.
It's in response to industry suggestions that airlines will need to find around 650,000 pilots to plug the gap between now and 2043. But why has this happened, what's being done about the problem and what does it mean for your summer holiday?
Age-old problems
Pilots are getting older. In the United States, the average age of a commercial airline pilot rose from 40.5 to 44.2 in the period between 1990 and 2010, according to a report by the AOPA Air Safety Institute, while more recent numbers published by the Statista Research Department suggest this had risen to 45.3 by 2020.
During the pandemic, amid job uncertainty exacerbated by a perceived lack of sensitive management from some airlines, many chose to seek early retirement. Those who stayed must leave their jobs at 65 by law in any case, meaning that many will soon be ageing out of the industry.
Filling those gaps will take time. 'There is now a training backlog with flight schools running at full capacity, but they cannot keep up with demand. Flight schools also face their own challenges recruiting enough qualified flight instructors,' says Mark Charman, chief executive of aviation and airlines agency Goose Recruitment.
Private matters
There may be another issue at play too. Though becoming a pilot was once seen as one of the most glamorous jobs in the world, it's not as popular among younger generations seeking a better work/life balance. With increasingly packed schedules, it's easy to see why the occupation no longer holds such appeal – and why some pilots have side-stepped into a more tempting part of the industry.
'The business jet sector is impacting the shortage of airline pilots as it's attracting commercial pilots who want to make the move to business aviation. The business jet market has seen a boom over the last few years with high-net-worth individuals and corporates seeking experienced pilots,' says Charman.
'Business aviation operators often offer more appealing rosters, less time away from home and smaller crew environments – making them attractive for pilots burnt out from airline life. In some cases, especially for experienced captains, the pay is significantly higher.'
Retirement and moves to private operators have left a talent gap in the industry but, until recently, many airlines haven't been thinking laterally about how to fill it. 'Airlines want pilots straight out of the box and ready to fly. They want pilots with the right type rating to fly the right aircraft and with the right hours – and they want them right now,' says Charman.
'Type rating' is the crucial term here – one which refers to a specific endorsement on a pilot's licence that authorises them to operate a particular aircraft type, based on the number of hours they've spent in simulators, in real flight and undergoing specific training.
'If you're a low-hour pilot starting out and you don't have a type rating on the required aircraft, or perhaps you don't have a type rating at all, there are few opportunities,' Charman adds. 'Some airlines are starting to invest in these pilots with the future in mind, but others have been slow off the mark.'
Future investment
This means that, within the industry, rumours are swirling about wider disruption over the summer months. The situation is exacerbated by many airlines facing delays to deliveries of ordered planes, in part because of increased demand.
But with operators scrambling to retain their reputations, pilot salaries are finally increasing after a period of flatlining (and even decreases). In 2024, captains earned between €120,000 (£101,000) and €270,000 (£227,000) according to Airline Ratings, up almost 50 per cent on the previous year. Salaries for new pilots remain low, however, although many will have spent as much as £100,000 on training.
This combination significantly narrows the pool of talent who might be tempted to choose flying as a career, and is a key motivator for schemes such as BA's Speedbird programme, which will fund 200 pilots as they go through their training. The good news for them is that the need for higher-level qualifications seems to have lessened over time.
Applicants for easyJet's programme 'need to be aged 18 or over by the time they begin training and have a minimum of five General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) of Grade C or above (or equivalent), including mathematics, science and English language – no higher qualifications or degrees are required'. Meanwhile, BA asks for six GCSEs at grades 5-9 and the 'ability to swim for at least 50 metres and then tread water for three minutes and assist other people in the water' among other stipulations.
Nevertheless, as our ' Do you have what it takes to be a pilot? ' quiz shows, requirements are still specific and exacting – and it could be some time before pilot numbers rise significantly. In the meantime, fewer flights usually mean higher fares – so once again, it looks like it'll be holidaymakers footing the bill.