<p>When it comes to the pilot shortage, airlines such as Rex suffer a double-whammy. Not only does the Australian regional operator have to struggle to recruit and train flightcrew for its fleet of Saab 340s, but, almost as soon as it does, it loses many of them to larger rivals.</p>
<p>In an “open letter to all communities in the Rex network”, the airline’s chief operating officer Neville Howell has accused Qantas and Virgin Australia of “rapacious plundering” of its pilot pool, blaming the larger rivals for flight cancellations caused by a shortage of flightcrew.</p>
<p>The carrier, which operates 52 of the Swedish turboprops, is not the first regional operator to suffer from poaching of its pilots by mainline competitors, who can offer higher pay rates and often more attractive career paths, including the opportunity to fly long-haul: it is a problem that has afflicted US regional airlines for decades. However, Rex is particularly exposed because of the smaller number of qualified pilots in Australia, and the dominance of the two national carriers.</p>
<p>Howell says that, rather than train their own pilots, Qantas and Virgin Australia have recruited 17% of its first officers and 56% of its captains in just two years. “These two airlines are causing widespread chaos and disruptions to regional air travel by their selfish and irresponsible actions,” he says.</p>
<p>Rex has tried to tackle the problem – it claims to be unique in Australia in doing this – by setting up its own pilot academy 10 years ago. Since then, 220 cadets have gone through the school, filling 71% of Rex’s first officer ranks, and making up 29% of its commanders.</p>
<p>However, while this helps respond to “natural attrition rates”, it is not enough to “stave off Qantas and Virgin Australia’s rapacious plundering”, Howell says.</p>
<p>Howell maintains that the airline will “redouble our efforts” to recruit more pilots, including looking overseas, but warns that a shortage of stand-by pilots rostered for duty means cancellations are likely and may mean cuts to its schedule, something he says would be a considerable blow to many of the remote communities it serves.</p>
<p>However, Howell says Rex’s cancellation rate of 1.29% is still “significantly lower” than that of QantasLink (2.39%) and Virgin Australia Regional (2.74%). Does that suggest that these regional subsidiaries of the major airlines are suffering from precisely the same threat when it comes to holding onto their pilots, albeit from their own parents?</p>
<p>In an “open letter to all communities in the Rex network”, the airline’s chief operating officer Neville Howell has accused Qantas and Virgin Australia of “rapacious plundering” of its pilot pool, blaming the larger rivals for flight cancellations caused by a shortage of flightcrew.</p>
<p>The carrier, which operates 52 of the Swedish turboprops, is not the first regional operator to suffer from poaching of its pilots by mainline competitors, who can offer higher pay rates and often more attractive career paths, including the opportunity to fly long-haul: it is a problem that has afflicted US regional airlines for decades. However, Rex is particularly exposed because of the smaller number of qualified pilots in Australia, and the dominance of the two national carriers.</p>
<p>Howell says that, rather than train their own pilots, Qantas and Virgin Australia have recruited 17% of its first officers and 56% of its captains in just two years. “These two airlines are causing widespread chaos and disruptions to regional air travel by their selfish and irresponsible actions,” he says.</p>
<p>Rex has tried to tackle the problem – it claims to be unique in Australia in doing this – by setting up its own pilot academy 10 years ago. Since then, 220 cadets have gone through the school, filling 71% of Rex’s first officer ranks, and making up 29% of its commanders.</p>
<p>However, while this helps respond to “natural attrition rates”, it is not enough to “stave off Qantas and Virgin Australia’s rapacious plundering”, Howell says.</p>
<p>Howell maintains that the airline will “redouble our efforts” to recruit more pilots, including looking overseas, but warns that a shortage of stand-by pilots rostered for duty means cancellations are likely and may mean cuts to its schedule, something he says would be a considerable blow to many of the remote communities it serves.</p>
<p>However, Howell says Rex’s cancellation rate of 1.29% is still “significantly lower” than that of QantasLink (2.39%) and Virgin Australia Regional (2.74%). Does that suggest that these regional subsidiaries of the major airlines are suffering from precisely the same threat when it comes to holding onto their pilots, albeit from their own parents?</p>