FAA to Review Rules Governing Regional Airlines

25.08.2023 - 21:17 / skift.com / Spirit Airlines / United Airlines / Edward Russell

There is a shortage of a critical skilled labor group needed to keep America’s airlines flying: Pilots, particularly captains, are in short supply and that’s resulting in fewer flights to some of the smallest cities across the country.

Major carriers, from American Airlines to Delta Air Lines and United Airlines, all acknowledge the problem. While executives say they do not have problems hiring, their regional affiliates that fly under the American Eagle or Delta Connection brands face challenges sourcing enough captains to operate all of their small jets.

The shortage has contributed to the three major carriers cutting flights in smaller markets even as travel demand has surged back. While the reductions appear to have eased, that did not happen before American, Delta, and United together ended flights to 74 cities between 2020 and this May, data from air service advisors Ailevon Pacific Aviation Consulting shows.

The situation has prompted some creative thinking. Alaska Airlines, Delta, and United have opened flight schools and offered scholarships to increase the supply of new pilots. American raised pilot pay at its wholly-owned regionals — a move that was matched by the rest of the industry — to levels comparable with budget carriers like Frontier Airlines and Spirit Airlines.

And SkyWest Airlines, the largest regional in the U.S., turned to a peculiarity in federal regulations that allows charter airlines to potentially crew planes with pilots that have far fewer hours than those required at major carriers.

That peculiarity, which allows charter airlines to indirectly operate scheduled flights on planes with up to 30 seats, is now in the crosshairs of the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration.

The rules, parts 135 and 380 of the federal code, are complicated but essentially allow an airline operating under them to hire pilots with just 250 hours of flight time. They also include differences in crew rest and retirement age requirements. A U.S. air transport pilot certificate required to fly for an airline like American, Delta, United, or even their regional affiliates that are certified under what is known as “part 121” rules, requires at least 1,500 of flight time.

On Thursday, the FAA said it was considering “revisions” to the rules governing “public charter flights operated under on-demand rules that appear indistinguishable from flights conducted by air carriers.” In other words: It is considering closing the loophole that SkyWest wants to use to address pilot staffing issues and continue flying to some of the smallest cities across the U.S.

“SkyWest Charter believes that the operation of part 380 flights under the current FAA classification is essential for small community air service,