A pilot shortage has suddenly become a surplus in some cases as the spread of COVID-19 prompts flight cancellations and travel bans. On Friday, United Airlines offered its long-haul pilots a month off at two-thirds pay as it chops service to most of Asia. Earlier in the week, United said the travel market to China has utterly collapsed and demand for other Asian destinations has dropped 75 percent. The airline cut service to South Korea from 28 flights a week to 15 last week. “Moving forward, we will continue to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 and work closely with our labor partners to help manage our business to minimize the operational and financial disruption of the outbreak,” United said in a statement.
The major airlines never had a shortage of pilots! So for those readers who were suckered by the larger flight schools, welcome to aviation! Pardon my sarcasm, but I have heard and been through the “pilot shortage” nonsense before. At least no furloughs (yet).
I have never seen the industry this hard pressed for qualified pilots. We are scraping the bottom of the barrel in many aspects of aviation for pilots. Upgrade times have been as little a year at some of the majors and regional’s are offering bonus of 60k.
What is worrisome is how much will companies use the COVID-19 epidemy as excuses? I can see this becoming a tool to rationalize cuts and other profit saving schemes in many industries. And don’t get me started on government justifications. The Coronavirus is a huge problem.
On another note, I heard Corona beer sales have droped in the US. Oh boy!