ALPA Opposes Raising Pilot Age to 67, Cites Safety Risks

The Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), the largest pilot union in the United States, has rejected a proposal by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) to raise the mandatory retirement age for commercial pilots from 65 to 67. The proposal, recently submitted to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), seeks to revise the global standard established in 2006.

ALPA emphasized that changing the current framework would jeopardize safety. “The United States is the global leader in aviation safety, and we should resist any attempts to arbitrarily alter the regulatory framework that has helped us achieve this record,” the union said in a statement.

Currently, ICAO guidelines recommend that commercial pilots operating multi-crew aircraft retire at 65. These guidelines are not binding, and individual governments set their own regulations. In the United States, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) enforces the same age limit. Canada, however, does not impose a mandatory retirement age.

IATA has argued that recent data supports extending the retirement age. In its proposal, the association cited World Health Organization (WHO) findings indicating global improvements in population health and noted that pilots represent a particularly healthy subgroup due to frequent medical examinations and high health literacy. “Medical studies over the last two decades support the change,” IATA stated, pointing to advances in aviation medicine as evidence that pilots over 65 can safely continue flying.

The debate is not new. In 2006, ICAO raised the retirement age from 60 to 65 after years of discussion. More recently, industry groups and some U.S. lawmakers have called for another increase, citing pilot shortages as a major concern. The Regional Airline Association (RAA) and other stakeholders argue that retaining experienced pilots could help alleviate workforce constraints.

However, the US Congress rejected a proposal to raise the limit last year. Former FAA Administrator Michael Whitaker also opposed the measure, stating in a letter to lawmakers that any change should follow “appropriate research, so that the FAA can measure any risk associated with that policy.”

ALPA has consistently warned against using pilot shortages as a justification for changing safety regulations. The union reiterated that the existing framework has been central to maintaining high safety standards in the United States. “The safety of passengers and crews cannot be compromised to address staffing challenges,” ALPA maintained.