Why Airline Pilots Have ‘Concerns’ About Trump’s FAA Chief Nominee
The Air Line Pilots Association, Intl. (ALPA) expressed “concerns” about President Donald Trump’s nominee for Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) administrator, Bryan Bedford.
Bedford is the CEO of regional airline Republic Airways, which, in the midst of a global pilot shortage in 2022, proposed that the FAA lower the number of hours required to become a co-pilot from 1,500 to 750. This proposal was rejected by the FAA, a decision that ALPA supported.
“We have concerns about the nominee’s past efforts to lower pilot training and safety standards, and we look forward to hearing his assurances that he will maintain the current requirements,” ALPA stated.
Airline pilots have expressed displeasure with President Donald Trump’s selection to lead the FAA. The Air Line Pilots Association, which represents over 79,000 pilots at 42 U.S. and Canadian airlines, stated on Tuesday that it has “concerns” about Trump’s choice for FAA administrator, Bryan Bedford, who serves as the CEO of Republic Airways.
Republic Airways, based in Indianapolis, operates regional flights on behalf of major airlines including United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and American Airlines.
In 2022, amidst a global pilot shortage, Republic Airways proposed reducing the FAA’s co-pilot hour requirements from 1,500 to 750 hours, but the FAA rejected the proposal. This decision was welcomed by ALPA.
“We have concerns about the nominee’s past efforts to lower pilot training and safety standards, and we look forward to hearing his assurances that he will maintain the current requirements,” ALPA emphasized.
Airline Pilots Unions ‘Are Huge Fans of the 1,500-Hour Rule’
“Not surprisingly, unions representing airline pilots are huge fans of the 1,500-hour rule,” said Ben Schlappig of the travel site One Mile at a Time.
“After all, pilots have been able to negotiate incredible pay increases, and that has largely been thanks to limiting the pilot pipeline by keeping requirements so high,” Schlappig added in a post on Wednesday.
Bedford must first be confirmed by the U.S. Senate before he can officially assume the role of FAA administrator.
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Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com, investopedia.com