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Pilot Retirees may come back

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UndauntedFlyer

Ease the nose down
Joined
Feb 26, 2006
Posts
1,062
Airlines Look To Retirees To Fill Empty Cockpit Seats


But There's Little Incentive For Pilots To Come Back

Faced with a continued shortage of qualified pilots -- and in light of recent passage of the "Age 65" rule governing airline pilot retirements -- several carriers are reportedly going after retired pilots, hoping to lure them back into the cockpit for a few more years.
The Fort Worth (TX) Star-Telegram reports a number of carriers, including Dallas-based Southwest Airlines, have begun recruiting pilots who were forced to retire when they turned 60, under previous regulations, but are still a few years away from the new mandatory retirement age of 65.
"There are lot of pilots who love flying, it’s an absolute passion for them, and they may be interested in coming back," said Southwest spokesperson Brandy King. "So we want to give them that opportunity." Delta and EOS, a European business-class airline that flies between New York and London, have also reportedly stepped up efforts to recruit retired pilots.
As with any decision, there are advantages and disadvantages for retired pilots who may look to return to the cockpit... arguably, more of the latter.
The biggest advantage for retired pilots coming back to work, is it would once again provide them with a steady source of income. Many saw their retirement benefits and pension plans slashed, as domestic carriers suffered through numerous bankruptcies over the past several years.
"Many of these pilots are living on just 25 to 30 percent of what they thought they were going to have," said Kit Darby, a pilot and president of consulting firm AIR Inc. "So they’re a needy group, and some of them are going to jump at the chance to go back to flying."
As for disadvantages, there are many. Even the most experienced retired pilots would have to go through the entire hiring process, including two weeks of interviews and additional training. "It would be all the things that a new pilot does," said Southwest's King.
Speaking of new pilots, that's exactly how retirees would be treated. In a concession to the Air Line Pilots Association, the Age 65 law was drafted to discourage pilots already forced to retire, but not yet 65, from returning to the airline work force. That means pilots hired back after retirement forego all previous seniority, and will start out as new recruits... with little to no say on which routes they'd fly, on what equipment.
That means may see former captains, with years of experience under their belts flying widebody airliners on trans-Atlantic runs, at the very top of their pay grade... relegated to being first officers onboard regional jets, flying out of Cincinnati, answering to captains less than half their age, all the while barely making a livable wage.
Understandably, that's a thoroughly unattractive prospect for many -- or, as AIR Inc.'s Darby puts it, a scenario "frustrating for some pilots who were at the peak of their careers."
Still, airlines remain optimistic a number of retired pilots will opt to return to the fold. King estimates Southwest has about 200 retired pilots qualified for rehiring. "We have no idea how many want to come back," she said. "Obviously some of them are enjoying their retirement and don’t want to go back to work."
"Every airline is looking at this right now, and at some point I think all of them are going to be (recruiting retired pilots)," Darby adds. "It’s a group with a lot of experience and a lot of them want to come back."
FMI: www.southwest.com, www.delta.com, www.eosairlines.com, www.jet-jobs.com
 
This guy has turned into a flame-baiter to the younger generations.

Don't feed the troll.
 
Undauntedflyer

Undaunted...

Don't you want your KIDS to have an airline career? Number one son I am SURE who would give his left nut to join United (I know the story)

You remind me of the herpes on the 727....bitchin that your kid couldn't get hired, yet they were happy sitting in the seat said kid was trying to fill.

I know you like to spool us up! We do not miss you sitting along at Dukes. We are all doing fine now that you are retired!

Happy Contrails....

YES I AM A UAL PILOT
 
Did any of the prior posters actually read the article. It clearly says that any retiree must start at the bottom. No one will do that. So what is the issue? Surely no one has a problem with that, so why take exception to the post or to UndauntedFlyer for posting it? The posted article only reaffirms your security. Does it not?
 
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I hope any of the retirees that come back to the right seat weren't pricks as Captains........payback is a bitch !!



.
 
Did any of the prior posters actually read the article. It clearly says that any retiree must start at the bottom. No one will do that.

While I generally agree with you, there will be a few that have absolutely, positively NOTHING BETTER TO DO WITH THEIR LIVES.

That's pretty sad when you think about it.
 
While I generally agree with you, there will be a few that have absolutely, positively NOTHING BETTER TO DO WITH THEIR LIVES.

That's pretty sad when you think about it.

If anyone does come back, who cares. You senior guys will be able to make him wish he had stayed in the nursing home.

If anyone does come back it will only be to posture himself for his expectation that the no senority provisions of the change will be overturned. While that could happen, it will probably take 5-years to move through the courts and by that time he'd be too old anyway.

Another reason a person may want to come back is to maybe get a job as a sim-instructor pilot. Such a positon at some airlines requires a person to be on the senority list. So even as bottom man such a person would then qualify. However, since the pay would be so low and the hours long, I doubht anyone would do that.

So rest assured, you have no worries here.
 
You know what's really scary? My grandfather is 65 and we had to take his car keys away. He now just sits in a nursing home all day pooping in his diaper and drooling on himself.

Is this the kind of person you really want flying your loved ones around? LOL
 

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