![]() So those airlines end up with a higher training burden per unit of productive flying.” "But those entry level jobs (at discount carriers) historically have not been career destinations. "They are introducing a ton of capacity onto the market, at low cost, and it's added to the draw on pilots," Perry said. And because discount carriers don't pay as well as Air Canada or WestJet, lower-cost airlines also struggle with retention. He said flight schools, northern and regional airlines in particular are struggling to recruit certified pilots, in part because new carriers are hiring pilots who otherwise would have gone to work at some of these smaller operators. However, Perry said there are real labour challenges in the aviation industry. Tim Perry - president of the Canadian division of the Air Line Pilots Association, the union that represents pilots at a number of Canadian airlines, including WestJet and Transat (but not Sunwing) - said that argument is "absurd." He said he doesn't believe any Canadian airline that compensates its pilots appropriately should need to hire TFWs. Last week, vacation airline Sunwing blamed its spate of holiday season flight disruptions and cancellations in part on a pilot shortage, telling the federal transport committee that the government's decision to deny the airline's recent application to hire 63 temporary foreign workers (TFW) for pilot roles impacted its ability to deliver service. (Becoming a commercial pilot can now cost upwards of $100,000, discouraging some young people from entering the profession, experts say). ![]() "And getting new pilots trained doesn't happen overnight, even though the demand for pilots has skyrocketed."Ī pilot shortage has been brewing in Canada for years, based on a variety of factors including an aging workforce, pandemic-related layoffs and early retirements, and spiralling training costs. "If I have a new airline that starts up with 10 airplanes, I theoretically need about 200 pilots," said Mike Doiron, president of Moncton, N.B.-based Doiron Aviation Consulting. However, experts say the rapid proliferation of new flights and routes is putting pressure on the aviation labour market - including for pilots. The jury is still out on which, if any, of these upstart airlines will survive in a crowded field. Things like carry-on and checked bags, snacks and beverages, and cancellation protection are all considered extras and must be paid for separately. While each operates slightly differently, the basic premise of a low-cost airline is that travellers receive stripped-down service in exchange for low basic fares. Start-up discount airlines - such as Edmonton-based Flair Airlines, Calgary-based Lynx, and WestJet subsidiary Swoop - have been rapidly expanding across Canada since the COVID-19 pandemic, gambling that there's enough pent-up demand from budget-conscious travellers to support additional capacity. ![]() With their promise of cheaper fares and no unnecessary frills, a flurry of so-called discount airlines has burst onto the Canadian scene in the last few years.īut experts say the low-cost airline model is exacerbating an already existing pilot shortage that could become an even bigger problem for this country's aviation industry in the years to come.
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