American Regional Arm Lures Pilots With Signing Bonus
Joe Cortez June 14, 2016
Qualified pilots can earn up to $15,000 bonus for joining carrier.
The regional arms of American Airlines operating as American Eagle want new pilots and are willing to pay extra for qualified recruits. In a press release, the airline announced a signing bonus of up to $15,000 when they begin flying for the airline. The bonus is extended to each of the airline’s regional arms: Envoy Air, Piedmont Airlines and PSA Airlines.
The airlines touted their employee-forward policies as reasons to join the airline, including the increased bonus. Executives noted the airline’s promotion opportunities, benefits and investments in new aircraft as incentives to start a career with their regional carriers.
The call for pilots comes as domestic airlines begin the demand for more flyers, while starting pay for the job remains relatively low. According to a long-term industry outlook created by Boeing, North America will need 95,000 pilots between now and 2034. Meanwhile, Bloomberg discovered the average starting pay for a new pilot is around $21,000 annually – one-third of the pay of mainline legacy pilots.
In an attempt to bridge the pay gap, American has attempted multiple programs to retain employees and boost morale. Earlier this year, the airline began a profit-sharing program for employees as a bonus based on the company performance. Additionally, the airline has also created a path for Envoy Air pilots to begin flying for American after a certain amount of time.
However, the airline has also come under fire from their pilots’ union over alleged problems within the airline. In March 2016, the Allied Pilots Association sent an open letter to American chief executive Doug Parker, calling the merged airline “embarrassing.” The pilots alleged the airline fostered a negative culture through constant payroll errors and supposed “contractual [and] legal abuses.” The Air Line Pilots Association, which represents Envoy Air pilots, has not publicly commented on the signing bonus plan.
[Photo: AFP Photo/Saul Loeb]
