Stratus Financial

Pilot Shortage Leads to Diminished Air Service at 76% of US Airports

Pilot Shortage Leads to Diminished Air Service at 76% of US Airports
Pilot Shortage US Airports triggers diminished air service at 76% of airports. Explore solutions with Stratus Finance.

Pilot Shortage Leads to Diminished Air Service at 76% of US Airports

 

 

The Regional Airline Association (RAA), which represents airlines that provide 43% of scheduled passenger flights in the U.S., has announced that the ongoing pilot shortage is causing diminished or lost air service at 76% of US Airports.


According to sch
edule data from October 2022 compared to the same period in 2019, there are now more than 500 regional aircraft parked without pilots to fly them, resulting in an air service retraction at 324 communities. 14 airports have lost all scheduled commercial air service, and this number is still rising. This pilot shortage has led to a contraction of the regional airline industry over the past decade, resulting in a reduction of air service to small and mediumsized communities.


The total number of airports with service has declined by 5% between 2009 and today, with those remaining seeing a reduction in frequency and fewer destinations. These trends are only accelerating, with 161 U.S. airports losing more than one in four of their commercial flights between 2019 and 2022. The FAA has certified an average of 6,335 airlinequalified pilots each year since 2013, while the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics predicts 18,100 yearly commercial airline pilot openings over the next decade.

Despite the higher
thanusual number of pilots qualified in 2022 due to the resumption of coviddisrupted qualifications, the industry is still short more than 8,000 pilots. This shortage will result in hundreds more aircraft being parked without resolution, leading to another wave of devastating air service loss. RAA offers several solutions to make pilot careers more equitable, such as improved student loans for flight education and urges the FAA to make datadriven decisions on additional, advanced training pathways allowed under current law.

 

 

Are you captivated by the world of aviation, with a fervent desire to pursue a career as a pilot? Your dreams can find unwavering support at Stratus Finance, where we offer flight school loans to help you achieve your ambitions. Whether you’re at the initial stage of considering flight training or are already immersed in your journey, our financing options are designed to be adaptable and tailored precisely to suit your individual needs.

flight school loans flight school loans flight school loans
Skip to content