Southwest Airlines will cut the number of turbine engine hours needed for new hire pilots in half, making it easier for regional airline pilots and others that have flown professionally to get on board.
Dallas-based Southwest previously preferred pilots to have 1,000 hours of flying time on a turbine engine or a turbo-prop but told employees last week that it was cutting that number in half to 500 hours.
The lower requirements come amid an industry-wide scramble for pilots, even though major airlines claim they have plenty. But that has left a shortage at regional airlines, which have been increasing pay and offering other incentives.
The reduced requirements were first reported by The Wall Street Journal.
“We’re having no trouble hiring, including having no trouble hiring pilots,” Southwest CEO Bob Jordan said during the company’s fourth quarter 2022 earnings call last month.
Jordan said Southwest hired almost 1,000 pilots in 2022 and plans to hire 1,700 more this year. There have been some training capacity issues, he said, meaning the company has been short on trained pilots to fly aircraft.
However, if the company does want to hire 1,700 pilots this year, it will be in steep competition with every other airline in the industry.
Unlike American, United and Alaska airlines, and Delta Air Lines, Southwest doesn’t use regional airlines. Southwest does have agreements with airlines, including Skywest Airlines, to recruit pilots.
Southwest’s requirement change doesn’t ditch the FAA-mandated 1,500 hours for pilots to get their Air Transport Pilot certificate, but it does require time spent flying on a jet or turbo-prop plane. That essentially means new Southwest recruits will have had to fly for a regional airline, a cargo carrier or in some other professional capacity.
“Our robust and rigorous flight operations training program has not changed and all current and future first officer candidates must pass all elements of the curriculum prior to flying for Southwest,” Southwest spokesman Chris Perry said in a statement. “As this recruiting change is aligned with hiring at or above FAA requirements, we’ll continue selecting competitively-qualified, world-class aviators who demonstrate extensive flight experience, professionalism, and Southwest’s values.”
Southwest Airlines Pilot Association President Casey Murray said the carrier needs more rigorous training for all new entry pilots.
“Southwest said they are going to maintain the standards, but they need to train up all new pilots to meet the standards,” he said.
Southwest is negotiating a new contract with pilots and is the only company among the big four airlines to not come to a tentative agreement with its 10,000-member pilot union.
Murray said Southwest can be at a disadvantage for pilots because it doesn’t have wide-body aircraft, which command a higher pay rate at other airlines. It also takes pilots about eight years to move from first officer to captain, another jump in pay.
