2011 hiring for EK, EY, QR

[jetzdrvr]

Hiring is starting to pick up in the US with Delta, SWA, US Airways, Jetblue, and others all looking to hire pilots in 2011. Plus the retirements will start hitting the big numbers in 2012 according to some figures provided at airlinepilotcentral.com I think about 200 pilots a year from each Legacy carrier. So if EK, EY, and QR are having a hard time now, what is it gonna be like in 2011 and 2012?

[Mr Good Cat]

They're getting the pilots okay.

I think it's just a case of getting the pilots they want (in terms of experience).

Will be interesting to see, with the US market improving a bit.

[Brian Cohen]

Here we are in 2011 1Q and we are already talking about second economic recession in the West World! With fuel so high don't how long before ... hope for the best expect the worse!

[Immigrant]

I think about 200 pilots a year from each Legacy carrier.


It is tooooo modest

Speaking at the World Aviation Training conference in Orlando, Florida on 19 April, Arnie Kraby, Delta's manager of pilot selection, said a dramatic pilot shortage is a "gathering storm" that industry must address. Delta alone in the next 15 years will lose 7,600 pilots who will reach age-65 and retire, says Kraby.

WATS 2011: Delta ponders pilot sources (http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2011/04/20/355820/wats-2011-delta-ponders-pilot-sources.html)


There are will be music on our street...... and very soon..... :ok:

[Brian Cohen]

Yeah I hope you are right, but isn't the same music we hear since 2004?

[BYMONEK]

Whilst I'd like to share your sentiments, it isn't likely to be the street party you hope for.

Delta alone works out at around 500 pilots a year say, that's about 45 a month, which, for such a big carrier, is hardly massive. How many military guys are going to be retiring over the next 15 years? Judging by the size of the US military, probably a large enough number to cover all the majors. The low costs will still get the self improvers, bored rich kids and anyone else who wants to don a uniform for $19K a year on the road to the 'big time'!

Unfortunately, as Brian's stated, it's the same story we hear time after time. There's always someone or something that comes along to spoil the party just as it's about to get started..... fuel, SARS, Volcanic ash, Gaddafi, Michael O'Leary........

[Brian Cohen]

fuel, SARS, Volcanic ash, Gaddafi, Michael O'Leary

... that's a good one mate! Compare O'Leary to Gaddafi is a good one eh!

[Nightfire]

Yep. Just wishful thinking, I'm afraid. Ever since 2000, when I started my own flight training, we were promised the "big demand" for airline pilots.
But it never happened. It's always been a fight for survival instead. There are thousands of low timers readily available, as well as pilots from poor countries, who are willing to come to the Middle East. So just because a couple of guys are resigning, doesn't mean anything.

The worst that can happen is they simply lower the entry requirements and take in some turboprop guys, and/or lower the minimum requirements to 500 hours on a 737/A320. Immediately there will be a couple of hundred new pilots in the pool.
Even if two out of three of them were to fail the interview, there still won't be no more shortage.

Ask yourself: Does it cost EY/EK/QR etc. less money to
a) hire some new pilots and give them a type rating (on their own simulator in their own training academy) in exchange for a training bond, or
b) give everybody else a salary increase which is actually worth mentioning?

So much for the shortage of pilots that's about to turn up. :ugh:

[Eric Carr]

...but isn't the same music we hear since 2004?
Well I for one beg to differ. In 2008 just before the recession hit, most carriers were close to a shortage and if you like me had a little left seat experience I found it harder to chose between the offers I got then actually finding a job. Granted this was in Europe and I know that things were not as pretty in the States...

[fatbus]

EK/EY/QR couldn't care less what is happening with the major US carriers. As someone else just said lower the entry requirements to 500hrs 737NG/320 and there would be way more than 200 additional apps.

EK is 2500 on 737/320 at the moment and the latest courses are mostly that, next step would be to drop it to 2000 and see how many that produces.

[Aussie]

Actually guys getting into EK with not only 320/737 time, but also Ejet and CRJ time :ok: