With the comeback of Southwest Airlines, the airline is focusing on deploying the appropriate personnel in the post-crisis environment. In that regard, the airline will hire around 120 pilots.
Southwest isn’t the only airline hiring pilots in 2021, but it’s additional evidence of the US aviation industry’s continuous resurgence.
Southwest Airlines has stated that it would begin pilot recruitment. Southwest Airlines’ vice president of flight operations, Bob Waltz, indicated that he will resume pilot recruitment before welcoming new hires in the next class in December. In December, about 120 roles will become available, filling two new hire classes.
Southwest Airlines hires pilots
The post will go live on July 15th and will be available till August 1st. After Thursday, candidates must apply via the link under the “Pilot-Co-Pilot” job advertisements.
By 2020, practically every US airline had too many pilots to operate. However, selecting what to do in the pilot’s absence is a major choice for the airline. Pilots, unlike other departments of the airline, must meet stringent and up-to-date regulations.
The airline was able to fire or dismiss some employees and bring them back if necessary, but the calculations are more difficult when it comes to the pilot.
Keeping pilots out of the cockpit might lead to backlogs when the airline recovers and tries to resume operations. The preparations for introducing a new gate agent or office staff are minimal, however some pilots may need to return to the simulator.
Last month, Southwest Airlines canceled a number of flights. Some of these disruptions were caused by a lack of pilots to handle the schedule, particularly in the context of operational problems.
However, Southwest Airlines was far from alone in having to deal with these challenges in 2021. Other carriers, such as American Airlines and Delta Air Lines, are also experiencing significant challenges with crew availability, resulting in a number of operational disruptions.
