Summary

  • American Airlines is pausing pilot training until 2025 due to delivery delays and capacity adjustments.
  • The delay does not have any impact on current pilots.
  • Recruitment remains a priority despite delays, particularly from Boeing.

Fort Worth, Texas-based American Airlines is temporarily halting all new hire pilot training classes until 2025. The carrier said the move is in response to its “capacity adjustments” announced earlier this year.

It comes as the airline has been dealing with new aircraft delivery delays over the past few months. Despite the pause, American reportedly has over 1,260 pilots who will reach the age for mandatory retirement in the next 18 months.

Tailoring talent growth

According to aviation watchdog JonNYC, pausing pilot hiring for the summer is typical for airlines as it allows for less training backlog after summer and keeps pilots and instructors on the line flying during the peak travel period.

American Airlines aircraft at Raleigh–Durham International Airport.

Photo: Raleigh–Durham International Airport

However, American will not delay new pilot classes for the summer months. In a statement to Simple Flying on Sunday, a spokesperson for the airline confirmed that the classes will be paused through the fall.

“As part of our previously announced capacity adjustments, we are temporarily pausing new pilot class start dates for September, October and November. This decision allows us to optimize our capacity and tailor our talent growth plans to best serve the current needs of our airline.”

“Flight decks in the future”

The news does not impact any current pilots, including those in training, but American has informed candidates with conditional job offers of the delay. One letter sent to a candidate was obtained by JonNYC.

“Thank you again for your patience and understanding throughout the hiring process and congratulations once again on your conditional job offer (CJO),” said Captain Russ Moore, American’s Vice President of Flight Operations. “We continue to think you are the best of the best, and are very eager to have you join the American Airlines team.”

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Moore went on to explain that new pilot training class dates would be “paused” for the rest of 2024.

“Though you continue to have a CJO with American, we’ve paused new-hire pilot class dates for the remainder of the year as part of the ongoing evaluation of our commercial and talent needs. We expect to make decisions about pilot class dates for the first quarter of 2025 later this year and will provide you with an update as soon as possible,” the VP noted. “In the meantime, please know that we value your interest in joining American and look forward to welcoming you to our flight decks in the future.”

American Airlines Airbus A319 (N836AW) flight deck.

Photo: American Airlines

American has been plagued by ongoing delivery delays, particularly from Boeing. The setback has caused the airline to reevaluate its operations. According to ch-aviation, the airline has over 334 aircraft on order, ranging from the Airbus A321neo, A321XLR, Boeing 737 MAX 8, MAX 10, and 787-9 Dreamliner. Just last week, American took delivery of its second MAX 8 for the year.

While not confirmed by Simple Flying, the carrier’s decision to pause pilot hiring could likely be due to deliveries not keeping up with its previous projections, leading the airline to be overstaffed with pilots. Nonetheless, the carrier does have 1,267 pilots reaching the federally mandated retirement age of 65 – according to JonNYC – 424 retirements for the remainder of this year and 843 retirements projected for next year.

More than three years?

It is unclear exactly which pilot classes will be paused. While the delivery delays significantly impact American’s mainline operation, the carrier owns three regional subsidiaries: Envoy Air, Piedmont Airlines, and PSA Airlines.

One person on X explained that their son has to wait three or more years to be onboarded at Envoy.

American said pilot recruitment will continue to remain a priority. The carrier is also committed to attracting and retaining the top pilots in the industry.

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