More than half of the world’s airline pilots no longer fly for a living amid falling demand during the coronavirus pandemic, and those who still fly feel less valued by their employers, a new survey released Thursday indicated.
See also: Delta Air Lines to bring back 400 pilots by this summer.
The poll, conducted of nearly 2,600 pilots by U.K.-based firm GOOSE Recruitment and industry publication FlightGlobal, found that only 43% are doing the job they trained for, with 30% unemployed, 17% on temporary layoff and 10% in non-flying roles.
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Many pilots still flying face deteriorating working conditions. Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd of Hong Kong, for example, instituted permanent pay cuts of up to 58%, and Turkish Airways and Singapore Airlines Ltd temporarily reduced wages, Reuters reviewed.
“We can also see the effect the pandemic has had on employed pilots,” GOOSE Recruitment CEO and founder Mark Charman said in a statement. “A large number feel insecure about their jobs, more plan to seek new roles this year and many feel less valued by their employers.”
Eighty-four percent of unemployed pilots said their situation was due to the pandemic. Prior to COVID-19 there was a widespread pilot shortage that boosted demand for airmen and generated improved pay and conditions. Now, 82% of unemployed pilots would take a pay cut for a new opportunity, according to the survey.
Among those who have kept their jobs, pilots in Europe said they are the most stressed by COVID-19, with respondents citing among their concerns the risk of contracting the virus, disjointed rules and the possibility of being quarantined during a rotation.
Forty percent of pilots said their mental health had been affected by the pandemic, with the figure highest among younger pilots.
“The amount of stress and anxiety the pandemic has caused me has permanently scarred my outlook on life,” said one pilot surveyed.
(Reporting by Jamie Freed, editing by Gerry Doyle, Carlos Serrano)
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