Professionalism in the Regional Carriers

It has been obvious that the regional airlines have been struggling with the current pilot shortage. Recently they have been canceling flights due to this issue, and it is affecting the major airlines. There are two arguments though, is it the low income that is causing this shortage, or is it based upon the projected retirements and current number of new pilots trying to enter the industry? In an article posted on Yahoo news, it was stated that “Regional carriers pay pilots an annual average of $27,350, according to Paul Ryder, ALPA Resource Coordinator. That compares with an annual salary of $103,390 at large airlines, according to US Labor Department data” (Olinga, 2016). That is the average income for regional pilots, most make less than the average of $27,350. It makes sense why many pilots would avoid flying domestic, because the amount of money that is spent to get through all of the training exceeds $100,000- $200,000 (Olinga, 2016). Since the cost to get all the certifications in order to even fly domestically is so outrageous, it is deterring pilots away from the low salary jobs with the regional airlines. The amount of projected retirements is rapidly growing, and the current number of projected pilots has diminished. One of the main reasons why there is a lack of interest is solely due to the cost of training. It is stated perfectly that "Fewer pilots are willing to commit hundreds of thousands of dollars into their training and education for a career with such a limited return on investment, in what has historically been a very unstable industry” (Olinga, 2016). They are both stable arguments, and personally, I think they both play a roll in the current shortage. With the rate or projected retirements, and the increase of required hours to 1,500; many pilots are veering away from the domestic flights because of both training expenses and the lack of income with the regional airlines. I don’t think that it could be a one sided argument because they both coincide with each other.

The regional airlines should be concerned with the hiring pool, because there is a lack of interest due to the extremely high training costs to become a pilot. On top of the high rates of training, due to the Colgan air accident, the number of required hours was bumped up to 1,500. If the regionals want to stand a chance and increase their hiring pool, they must consider implementing a few things. For one, they should consider increasing the starting salary for Fist Officers, so pilots can pay of their substantial debt from flight school. Secondly, they could implement their own flight school where they hire pilots who have obtained their commercial certificate, and pay for the rest of their training. Another out of the ball park idea would be considering the implementation of monthly stipends like the military. Monthly stipends would consist of a base pay, depending on the location they of  living, which would help pay for part of their living expenses. Essentially the stipend would allow pilots pay off their school loans without the stress of paying off living expenses on top of their debt.  

Although ALPA represents most of the regional pilots, there is one organization that stands for the regional industry and management. That would be the Regional Airline Association (RAA), and their main goal is to “support network connecting regional airlines, industry business partners, and government regulators in bolstering the industry; as well as promoting regional airline interests in a changing business and policy environment” (RAA). 

In a working environment, especially in the world of aviation, professionalism is a characteristic that everyone should strive to demonstrate. Professionalism is simply accomplishing your tasks in a timely manner to standards well above the minimums, along with keeping yourself disciplined and having the right attitude towards your profession. After watching the documentary “Flying Cheap”, I noticed a few instances where employees and management were lacking professionalism. One of them was the management of Colgan, because they were treating their employees as if they didn’t have any value to the company. Not only that, but the FAA knew about some inside incidences that had happened at Colgan Air, but they blew it off because they had a “good relation” with the CEO of Colgan. Another example would be the one captain who had altered the weight and balance on one of the flights so they could take off. Even though they were over-weight, the captain lacked professionalism and put everyone’s life at risk. One thing to consider about the lack of professionalism that could be demonstrated by regional pilots is lack of pay, along with terrible working hours. Most regional pilots work long days with little rest in-between and on top of that, they barely make ends meet. If an employee is not getting paid enough for their skillset, then what motivation would they have to provide their best abilities to help the company strive? I definitely think first year pilot pay is a huge contributing factor to lack of professionalism that was seen in the “Flying Cheap” documentary.

From my own experiences, the best way to maintain professionalism is to find a job that you love doing, and something you can look forward to every day. On top of that, always strive to make self improvements because nothing is ever going to be perfect, especially in the world of aviation. By going above and beyond the minimum requirements, and taking pride in what you do, you will maintain professionalism.

References:

Olinga, L. (2016, March 7). Pilot shortage hits US regional airlines. Yahoo News. Retrieved from http://news.yahoo.com/pilot-shortage-hits-us-regional-airlines-042334238.html

RAA. (2016, February 26). Regional Airline Association Statement on Republic Airways            Bankruptcy - Regional Airline Association. Retrieved from http://www.raa.org/news/277230