In what it framed as a reversal of Biden-era policies, the FAA on Friday said it will require commercial airlines to commit to “merit-based hiring” for pilots.
The directive comes in the form of an “operations specification.” To comply, Part 121 carriers must certify that their hiring process for pilots is exclusively based on merit, as demonstrated by experience, technical aptitude, and other factors. The operations specification takes effect 30 days from February 13.
“While the FAA has raised performance standards, dismantled DEI offices and contracts, and revised absurd Biden-Buttigieg era directives that wasted time renaming cockpits to flight decks, allegations of airlines hiring based on race and sex remain,” the FAA said. “Under this new mandate, all U.S. carriers will be required to certify that this practice is terminated. Failure to do so will subject airlines to federal investigation.”
The order is largely in line with the Trump administration’s focus on dismantling diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs across the federal government. The current leadership of the U.S. Department of Transportation maintains that its predecessors spent billions of dollars on diversity initiatives that achieved little while critical infrastructure, including the national air traffic control (ATC) system, deteriorated.
“When families board their aircraft, they should fly with confidence knowing the pilot behind the controls is the best of the best,” Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said in a statement. “The American people don’t care what their pilot looks like or their gender—they just care that they are the most qualified man or woman for the job.”
Some U.S. airlines have launched programs and training pipelines aimed at recruiting women and minority pilots for an industry that remains heavily male and majority white. But there is no evidence that airlines are waiving requirements to hire certain candidates, and the FAA did not elaborate on the “allegations” it cited.
Officials with the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), the largest pilot union in the U.S., said in response to the FAA that all of its members operating Part 121 commercial flights must be trained, tested, and qualified by the same standards in order to perform their duties.
“All ALPA pilots are trained and evaluated to the same uncompromising standard regardless of race, gender, or background,” said president Jason Ambrosi. “A pilot’s identity has no bearing on their ability to safely operate an aircraft. What matters is training, experience, and qualification—and on that front, there are no shortcuts and no compromises.”