Aussie regional flights hit by “critical” pilot shortage

A flight instructor is describing various dials and displays to a trainee pilot in the cockpit of a simulator.

Airlines are having to cancel flights and in some cases entire routes due to a global pilot shortage.

According to the ABC, 10,808 domestic flights were cancelled last year, accounting for 1.9 per cent, up from the long-term average of 1.4 per cent.

It’s difficult to say which of these were a result of the shortage but analysts say the situation will only get worse.

Bush Plane

Recent stats from Boeing indicate that 640,000 new pilots will be needed over the next 20 years to sustain the industry, with a whopping 40 per cent of that figure needed for the APAC region alone.

As we reported earlier this month, rural communities are already feeling the bite of the pilot shortage with Qantas putting its ageing 747s to work on some domestic services.

As the airline struggles to train enough pilots to fly its fleet of 737s, 747 jumbo jets will operate on four services a day between Sydney and Perth from July 30, and will also replace the 737s with larger A330s on some services between Perth and Singapore.

The ABC attributes this shortage to a growing trend of Aussie pilots taking more lucrative deals with overseas airlines in the Middle East and China.

Northern Territory-based ChartAir, a charter carrier that provides crucial services to remote areas has even had to permanently ground one of its aircraft.

ChartAir CEO Douglas Hendry told the ABC the company was turning away at least a million dollars in business each year.

“Traditionally you had pilots joining us for three to four years. It was like an apprenticeship,” he said.

“[But] we’ve seen junior pilots, who don’t really meet any of the minimum requirements that the airlines used to have, are now leaving us much sooner.”

And earlier this month Regional Airlines, also known as Rex, warned its customers of potential cancellations due to the “critical” pilot shortage.

The airline’s chief operating officer Neville Howell to the ABC that Qantas and Virgin Australia’s “rapacious plundering” of their pilot pool has had a huge impact on their pilot numbers.

“In the past two years, these two airlines collectively have poached 17 per cent and 56 per cent of Rex’s first officer and captain establishment respectively,” he said in the statement.

“These two airlines are causing widespread chaos and disruptions to regional air travel by their selfish and irresponsible actions.”

A Qantas spokesperson responded to the claims by saying that no Australian airline invests more in training pilots than the Qantas group and that it’s natural to see some movement between airlines.

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Email the Travel Weekly team at traveldesk@travelweekly.com.au

pilot shortage qantas regional airlines rex