Critical moment for airline industry. Boeing, warns 558 000 pilots needed globally by 2034 a surge in air travel, 28 000 a year. Boeing’s research demand varies between regions over next 20 years. Asia Pacific, 226 000. Economic growth in countries such as China, air travel for millions of new flyers.
Industry needs to get its act together, says Jim McAuslan, general secretary of the British Airline Pilots Association. Europe will face more problems; we know in our own membership that 90 pilots will be reaching 65 in the next 12 months, numbers start ratcheting up by 2021, 250 of our pilots reach that age per year.
Oliver Sleath, analyst at Barclays, the situation may become tighter in Europe, especially as the industry carries on growing above the rate of growth in GDP.