There is a shortage of experienced captains worldwide, a huge shortage in fact. Airlines are unable to expand and aircraft are on the ground, these are the facts as it is right now.
Now, to call this a pilot shortage, as always isn’t correct. Because it does not translate into a need for inexperienced first officers/cadets etc.. so, as long as we differentiate between these two categories than we can absolutely agree that yes, we have a big big shortage.

Got any evidence of this? US? Absolutely. UK? Nope…

some positions are reserved in the name of equity

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....5b701d048.jpeg

No idea about the uk, but worldwide, asia, us and many other places, yes.

this thread is putting the finder on the pilot market in Europe....

Seriously? Almost every UK airline that does DEC were hiring DEC 6 months ago. J2, Wizz, RYR, Lauda, even BA Euroflyer! The only one I can't recall was EZY.

^^ exactly this. Certainly 6 months ago in the UK airlines that do recruit DEC were trying. Ex former colleagues at Wizz UK said they were crying out for DEC for sure. RYR same. Many FOs at RYR not taking command moved on because of RYRs poor T&Cs in first 2 years as P1. I believe RYR have now removed the salary deduction and they all get the same. BA have so many going through courses this year. 300+ joined so far this year. That will continue into 2024 for sure.

Aaaand not any more.

An actual shortage and they’d be hiring still and giving £50k joining bonuses.

Simply hiring people doesn’t mean there’s a particularly aggressive shortage, just the turn over of staff.

The majors are beginning to sponsor people to fly. They’d only do that if they’re desperate.

Which airlines in Asia or Europe do have that "huge" and "big big" shortage of experienced captains?

Do they also sponsor visas for UK?
Or license conversions?
UK companies have a limited pool of UK citizens
It's a different story than the rest of the Europe

yes they do. Look at virgin.

Hold a current UK Class One Medical and United Kingdom or European Union Flight Crew License (ATPL) issued by the UK CAA at the date of joining
not sure what the bold means
Also they ask at least 500 hours current on type, doesn't sound that they are desperate for pilots

the fact the UK is depleted of UK licensed pilots, they’re having to look further afield.

airlines who don’t normally take low houred guys are so and starting MPL schemes.

maybe your definitions of desperate is different to others.

They’re lowering the bar, they’d only do that if they had to.

I am still not sure what they mean by European ATPL issued by the UK CAA at the date of joining.
Can I apply with my EASA ATPL which was not issued by UK CAA?
I don't know where the bar was before, 500 hours on type and current sounds fair

Airlines not hiring might as well be a sign of a shortage. I know for sure that several airlines did not hire more people earlier this year because they simply had no instructors to train them, nor simulator capacity. A lot of airlines have shortages this summer but agressively hiring now would result in even bigger short term shortages because of the training.

My airline has already started hiring new direct entry FO with TR starting dates as early as september anticipating on shortages for 2024. Especially concidiring a couple of major airlines that will need a lot more people upcoming months resulting in an exodus for LOCOs.

Sorry I’m going to echo what others have said.

Defiantly a shortage of Captains, EU land not 100% sure. Uk definitely.

Virgin dropped to 500hrs on time for RHS. I mean that’s 1 year at RYR and off you go to long haul ops.

What is also the issue is training capacity. Only so many SIMs, so many trainers etc. They don’t have hundreds of SIMs just sat waiting.

There will never be mass shortage of entry pilots but certainly experienced.

Like I said 6-12 months ago in UK for anyone who had 737 or 320 time a lot opened up.
A mate of mine applied and went to 4 airlines/assessments in UK and a ME carrier.

Only 1 UK airline came back as a no. Never seen it like that before.

Have you actually gone for assessments/ had your CV looked at?

It’s one thing having experience but you still need to do homework even just applying. My aviation CV is tailored just to that. Compared to when I applied to jobs during COVID it’s completely different.

Do you have good experience?
Sorry to say the path you choose can dictate the airlines that are interested. I know a couple of guys from my flight school that went and got experience outside of Europe. It hasn’t helped them one bit, if anything made it harder for them.

I was once told yes take any flying job with the caveat of long term plan. Your first job can dictate to some degree where you will go in aviation.

I left Air Force for a Gulfstream job opportunity in the desert
Had in mind to make some cash and return to Europe
I made a small fortune but I am still stuck in the desert
Sorry to say too, but it seems a P2F in a A320 or B737 operator gives you more chances for a job in Europe
In some cases knowing the right people is enough to get a job
HR people may think Jetstream and Gulfstream are pretty much the same airplane

A lot of us UK skippers are now looking at part time options for S24.
The thought of another busy summer fills a lot of skippers with dread! (from our chats)
Shortage of experienced pilots is approaching…

One UK airline is asking Captains back that had previously been paid off to retire early!

Most likely as they cant train enough over winter - new pilots and seat swaps etc

Plenty of experienced FOs turning down upgrade opportunities in favour of staying on a fleet, working pattern, base and/or seniority position (high seniority FO vs low seniority CP) that suits their lifestyle better.

Me thinks the pilot shortage is coming. Focussed on Captain to start obviously. Plenty of sausage factories pumping out low hour FOs, so that's not where the action is.

It seems the UK is first out of the blocks in this region.

From a quick search, I saw that the ''good'' companies in EU ask to speak the local language or be type rated. Doesn't seem to have any problem finding exact what they look for

The UK has screwed itself. The need to hold a UK licence and have the right to live/work has removed so many potential applicants from the "talent pool". The Brexit Bonfire of all the agreements will be put out very soon as the chickens come home to roost. Have a look at the UK "pilot licence holders by age and sex" report from the CAA. The numbers literally drop off a cliff when pilots hit 60 as so many didn't stay active or left the industry. Extending to 67 won't solve this mess, they're on their yacht in the Med.

But they are sucking up pilots at the not so good airlines. My previous company was losing an average of 20 FOs a month during 2022 and this summer. All headed to legacies where they speak the local language.

Let me come here to spread some negativity on the subject. :ugh: The EU still has no shortage as long as very experienced rated pilots show up to assessments where they dont even pay your hotel, let alone a travel allowance, just to put you through bull*** psycho tests and questionaires and checking your bull*** tolerance. If you pass the initiation ritual, you will be offered a worthless contract that your employer will change as he pleases and which contains your obligations exclusively. If you happen to be non type rated, you will sign a totally overpriced training bond that makes you a complete slave for the next 3-5 years, even though you already faintly know how terrible the lifestyle is going to be - no matter the promises. You can look forward to do training for free in most companies, regardless of your prior experience, you are back to zero seniority. At some point someone starts to feel a little bit sorry and you will receive your first compensation usually from some offshore accounts - 100% untaxed and of course, tax is your own obligation after all, but the salary in gross is now less than you netted a decade prior on an employment contract in a real country. "Because we are a company based in "insert random tax haven" and we fly ACMI for the most horrible outfits worldwide in (insert shi**hole in north africa or the middle east) , we expect you to move to anywhere in your next roster period - no guarantees, we trust you understand the requirements of the business. For sure we will provide you a 3rd class hotel for the 3 weeks that you will stay away from your family, in which you will fly the maximum legal hours, if you still believe in the law, that is.
Story of my life

right on man!!!
Exactly what's going on with me as well :rolleyes:

Short of crew but need fluency in local language
If you mean this pilot shortage...

Right on! this sums it all up! 5 days off per month and due to the unwillingness of rostering only three days at home. A net income of €2700 as airline captain after you dealt with the legal issues of fake self employment and if you are 5 days sick but worked the other 26 days of the month, no payment at all. Europe ain't Europe anymore and I can't make a respectable income there anymore. I literally make 6 times as much in the ME.
And governments don't seem to care, we are no longer the Western world with high standards unfortunately.

2700 nett as CPT. I made that captaining a VFR SET. You can make triple that sitting in the right seat working for a decent airline. If you are only chasing bottom feeding ACMI wet lease operations from Eastern Europe then please stop complaining. Just ask yourself why you did go there in the first place. Enjoy the Middle East! You’ll love it!

Why are we comparing Apples with Oranges? For 2700 NET, I assume you are with an ACMI run by one of the Baltic based Mafias? They told you it was seasonal employment in the beginning with only a retainer payment during the winter. You knew it from the start. You can't expect them to pay 10k all year round, they don't have the customers do justify it. I know at least 4 non legacy carriers hiring left seat on full year round salary of more than 130k per year but you have to pay tax. Which I suppose is the reason you were lured by the mafias in the first place?

Nothing of that. After years of flying business aviation I transitioned to airlines and this outfit gave me a DEC. Nothing seasonal, 900 hours per year flying for state airlines.
And if you read carefully, I'm not employed by any East European outfit. I'm employed in the Middle East, couldn't do this nonsense too long.

I still think it is disgraceful you are kept out of the social system and are not even entitled to retirement or healthcare when the time comes.

I recently passed the assessment of a nice European outfit.
I was informed that I will stay in the pool for the summer season as for now they will start with the rated pilots.
This doesn’t sound like shortage at all

There's a shortfall of experienced captains - that's for certain

probably no capacity regarding simulator and trainer for line training. Having rated and experienced pilots will shorten the training phase.
Atleast thats what is happening within our group.