ALPA, the world's largest and most influential pilot union, has informed its US members that “yesterday the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Rep. Troy Nehls’ (R-TX) introduced an amendment to raise the retirement age to 67. The amendment was revised during the Committee markup on Tuesday to allow pilots who are already retired to return to work between the ages of 65-67. The vote on the amendment passed 32-31.
Tomorrow the Senate will likely be considering a similar amendment.
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The international retirement age, set by ICAO, is 65. Even if the U.S. changes the retirement age, pilots 65 and older would not be allowed to fly outside the U.S. airspace. In Canada, where airline pilots do not have a maximum age limit, labour code restrictions force Air Canada pilots to retire at 65.
- ALPA and the FAA are opposed to any change of the airline pilot retirement age.
- The international retirement age set by ICAO is 65.
- If the age changed in the US, pilots over 65 would not be able to leave US airspace.
- This would decrease pilot supply by creating a huge training backlog because older pilots would be retrained on domestic fleets.
- The European equivalent of the FAA, EASA, published a report in 2019 that sighted risk-mitigation measures and recommended no changes to the current retirement age.
In 2007, the pilot retirement age was changed from 60 to 65 following an ICAO standard to change the international retirement age to 65. Additionally, the 2007 age change contributed to thousands of pilot furloughs and half a decade of halted career progression.”
Source: United MEC Legislative Affairs
