Why Airline Pilots Have ‘Concerns’ About Trump’s FAA Chief Nominee

Airline pilots are not pleased with President Donald Trump’s choice to head the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

The Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l (ALPA), which represents more than 79,000 pilots at 42 U.S. and Canadian airlines, said Tuesday that it has “concerns” about Trump’s nominee to be FAA administrator, Republic Airways CEO Bryan Bedford.

Indianapolis-based Republic Airways operates regional flights on behalf of United Airlines (UAL), Delta Air Lines (DAL), and American Airlines (AAL). Amid a global pilot shortage in 2022, Republic proposed that the FAA should lower the number of hours required to become a co-pilot to 750 from 1,500, but the agency rejected it, which pleased ALPA.

“We have concerns about the nominee’s past efforts to lower pilot training and safety standards and we look forward to hearing his assurances that he will maintain the current requirements,” ALPA said.

Airline Pilots Unions ‘Are Huge Fans of the 1,500-Hour Rule’

“Not surprisingly, unions representing airline pilots are huge fans of the 1,500-hour rule,” according to Ben Schlappig of the travel site One Mile at a Time.

“After all, pilots have been able to negotiate incredible pay increases, and that has largely been thanks to limiting the pilot pipeline by keeping requirements so high,” Schlappig said in a post Wednesday.

Bedford first must be confirmed by the U.S. Senate before he can become FAA administrator.