A pilot rides an escalator down to the baggage claim area inside the Southwest Airlines terminal at St Louis Lambert International Airport, Dec 28, 2022, in St Louis, Missouri, United States. (JEFF ROBERSON / AP)
A global rebound in air travel has brought pilots back to work after a pandemic-induced slump, but many men and women in the cockpit have concerns over salary, a survey on Thursday said.
More than half of pilots have not had a salary increase for five years, according to the global survey by aviation industry specialist Goose recruitment and FlightGlobal. They polled 1,184 pilots during the fourth quarter of 2022.
However, 89 percent of respondents believe there will be a shortage of pilots over the next five years, up from 66 percent in 2021
Asia-Pacific is the worst-affected region when it comes to pay, with nearly half reporting lower earnings. By contrast, 73 percent of respondents in North America reported higher salaries, driven by fierce demand for pilots as traffic rebounds.
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Almost two-thirds of pilots said they want to change jobs for better pay and conditions in the next 12 months. However, 89 percent of respondents believe there will be a shortage of pilots over the next five years, up from 66 percent in 2021.
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“Pilots will want to see their pay return to what it once was," said Mark Charman, chief executive of Goose Recruitment.
"I predict that 2023 will be a year with more remuneration crisis talks than ever before."