The pilot shortage began before the COVID – 19 pandemic which only worsened the overall shortage. The pandemic forced airlines to dismiss pilots from their respective jobs. The shortage of flights to multiple locations demanded fewer pilots. Airlines could not afford to pay hefty salaries to many pilots. The question arises when the airline gains back their passengers, how will they deal with the situation of pilot shortage in post-COVID times. Airlines can partner with flying schools like AirLink Flight School to deal with the situation and ensure they have adequate pilots when flights start taking off again.
Pilot Shortage Returns to Aviation Sector
The pilot shortage will remain in the aviation sector because pilots for any commercial airline get hired based on aircraft utilization and the number of rotations a pilot can take. It doesn’t depend on passengers flying in an aircraft as the supply of passengers is directly correlated to the demand for pilots in the aviation sector. That is, whenever passenger capacity increases, there will be an increase in the supply of pilots needed as well. Airlines can partner with airline schools like AirLink Flight School to hire qualified pilots who can add value by flying multiple aircraft. Airlines look for multi-skilled pilots who can fly any aircraft owned by the airline.
Pandemic Creates Pilot Shortage
The COVID pandemic led to a decline in the travel and tourism industry. This has also impacted the aviation sector on a negative note. According to leading researchers in the aviation sector, pilot shortages have created a problem by affecting the job security of pilots which in turn affects the number of new people who wish to join the aviation sector as pilots. Families of such potential cadets are forced to join other industries different from the aviation sector. However, airlines can always partner with AirLink Flight School to hire new and well-trained pilots who are working toward a commercial license and are ready to fly.
Creating More Job Opportunities for Pilots
Airlines will focus on creating more job opportunities for experienced pilots who have been laid off due to the pandemic situation. AirLink Flight School is a placement partner for experienced pilots and can connect pilots to a wide employment database of various airlines. Pilots can also choose to join as flight instructors in various airlines which helps the aviation industry before hiring pilots through AirLink Flight School.
Pilots take early retirement due to Pandemic
Many pilots faced financial crises and job losses due to the pandemic situation which resulted in many pilots being forced to choose early retirement plans. This will add even more to the shortage of pilots in the aviation sector. Finding experienced pilots a few years from now might become an even greater challenge for the aviation sector.
Flying Advantage
Airlines can use this as an opportunity for themselves by hiring more pilots at lower salaries or hiring pilots as independent contractors. Airlines can maximize their capacity by increasing the number of flying hours without causing potential delays on flights. The aviation sector can partner with flying schools like AirLink Flight School to hire pilots and strengthen their employee force before they focus on increasing passenger capacity in any aircraft.
Conclusion
AirLink Flight School offers various pilot training programs which equip and train pilots to handle different situations at work. The pandemic has caused an even greater shortage of pilots, a challenging situation faced by nearly every airline. Airlines can partner with AirLink Flight School to tackle the pilot shortage situation on a positive note. The airlines can also hire multi-skilled pilots to deal with this situation and cut costs by increasing flight hours. Airlines focus on hiring commercial pilots on company contracts which helps the airline companies carefully plan their financial investment for this aspect.