Senate votes to raise pilot retirement age to 65

[adam613]

http://news.lp.findlaw.com/ap/o/51/12-1 ... 827e2.html

WASHINGTON-The Senate has voted to extend the retirement age for commercial pilots to 65, sending the measure to the president's desk.

The bill would change a 1960 Federal Aviation Administration regulation forcing pilots to leave the cockpit at age 60. The Senate approved the measure Wednesday, and the House of Representatives passed the legislation unanimously Tuesday.

[T-Bird76]

Hmm I wonder what the airlines think of this? I keeps higher paid pilots on the payroll for another five years, that could be a big impact to the bottom line.

[adam613]

Not sure...I know the pilots have been pushing for this for years though.

[Mateo]

Three quick notes about the legislation (HR 4343, for those into that sort of thing, and now PL 110-135, since it's been signed by the President).
1.) ICAO rules say that on international routes, you have to have a pilot under 60 if there's one over 60.
2.) This provision was in the FAA reauthorization (S 1300, and I forget the corresponding House bill), but since that one is still stalled over the GA vs. airlines funding issue, Congress moved on this piece alone.
3.) Here the most interesting part - If a pilot was mandatorily retired at 60, and is now rehired, he must start at the bottom of the seniority list. I suppose it was the current pilots who supported it in order not to be bumped down, but it's oddly reaching for Congress to start legislating the internal processes of unions/corporations. I'm guessing you're going to have very few guys who were captaining the 777 to HNL twice a month who will return to sit reserve FO on the 7-3 (for narrowbody money, too).

It passed 390-0 in the House, and by voice vote in the Senate.

[adam613]

3.) Here the most interesting part - If a pilot was mandatorily retired at 60, and is now rehired, he must start at the bottom of the seniority list. I suppose it was the current pilots who supported it in order not to be bumped down, but it's oddly reaching for Congress to start legislating the internal processes of unions/corporations. I'm guessing you're going to have very few guys who were captaining the 777 to HNL twice a month who will return to sit reserve FO on the 7-3 (for narrowbody money, too).

I'm sure this provision was added to keep the airlines from howling too loudly about rehiring retired pilots.