The US Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) says it will oppose attempts to change the current rule requiring US airline pilots to stop flying at 60 years old.
ALPA president Capt Duane Worth, testifying to the Senate Aviation Subcommittee as it deliberates on whether or not the rule should be changed, said that increasing the retirement age could result in a “degradation of safety”.
Discussions on increasing the retirement age to 65 have been raised in the US legislature this year, bringing it into line with when pilots would be eligible for social security benefits.
Airlines, including Southwest Airlines and JetBlue Airways, are supporting the change, along with many pilots, as it would allow airlines to keep their best pilots flying longer and pilots to recover money lost due to pension cuts.
ALPA, however, has conducted a survey of its membership on the issue and says that 56% of its pilots opposed any change. Questions presenting options for increased testing of pilots for the effects of ageing brought even higher levels of opposition. “With all the contractual work rule concessions that have occurred since 9/11, especially at our larger legacy airlines, a higher percentage of pilots are flying more hours and working more days at longer duty periods than at any other time in recent history,” says Worth.
Source: Flight International
