Pilots fail to cash in on air traffic revival, says global survey

A global rebound in air travel has brought pilots back to work after a pandemic-induced slump, but many men and women in the cockpit have concerns over salary, a survey on Thursday (Jan 19) said.

More than half of pilots have not had a salary increase for five years, according to the global survey by aviation industry specialist Goose recruitment and FlightGlobal. They polled 1,184 pilots during the fourth quarter of 2022.

Asia-Pacific is the worst-affected region when it comes to pay, with nearly half reporting lower earnings. By contrast, 73 per cent of respondents in North America reported higher salaries, driven by fierce demand for pilots as traffic rebounds.

Almost two-thirds of pilots said they want to change jobs for better pay and conditions in the next 12 months. However, 89 per cent of respondents believe there will be a shortage of pilots over the next five years, up from 66 per cent in 2021.

“Pilots will want to see their pay return to what it once was,” said Mark Charman, chief executive of Goose Recruitment.

“I predict that 2023 will be a year with more remuneration crisis talks than ever before.” REUTERS