The U.S. mega-carrier, American airlines has promised to revise its pay levels to pilots in its mainline operations after two wholly-owned subsidiary regional carriers for AA Piedmont Airlines and Envoy announced a 50% increase in hourly rates until the end of August,
In a message to staff CEO Robert Isom said: "Our team will be paid well and be paid competitively. You are not going to fall behind network peers," He also described a pre-pandemic proposal made to unions — of an initial 4% increase, followed by a 3% increase annually — as "industry-leading at the time." However, "the standard for compensation has gone up" as a result of the pandemic and the global shortage of qualified pilots.
Many airlines in the U.S., Canada and Europe have had to cancel or reschedule services because of a lack of crew as many senior and experienced flight deck crew were encouraged to take generous retirement packages during the pandemic. While others have left the business to fulfil other life goals and ambitions that were either discovered or decided upon during the long period of furlough as the health crisis continued.
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