FAA Orders Airlines to Implement Merit-Based Hiring for Pilots

The Federal Aviation Administration on Friday ordered U.S. airlines to certify that they are implementing merit-based hiring for pilots.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the move would address “allegations of airlines hiring based on race and sex.” Under this Operation Specification, airlines will have to certify that pilots are selected based on aptitude and experience.

Duffy said in a statement, “When families board their aircraft, they should fly with confidence knowing the pilot behind the controls is the best of the best. The American people don’t care what their pilot looks like or their gender — they just care that they are most qualified man or woman for the job.”

“Safety drives everything we do, and this commonsense measure will increase transparency between passengers and airlines,” Duffy added. 

Airlines for America, the lobbying group representing U.S. airlines, issued a statement on the move. In a statement, A4A said “A4A carriers comply with all federal regulations and laws, including those related to qualifications, training, and licensing.” 

Diversification and Merit-Based Hiring

U.S. airline pilots have historically been predominantly white. In 2021, United set a goal to train 5,000 new pilots. At least half of them were women and people of color. At the time, only 7% of approximately 12,000 pilots were women, and 13% were people of color.

Pete Buttigieg, Duffy’s predecessor, touted spending $80 billion over four years in office to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. However, things changed when U.S. President Donald Trump took office. 

Shortly after taking office in January 2025, Trump issued executive orders slashing DEI programs in the United States.

The move stemmed from a series of lawsuits filed by air traffic controllers who alleged they were turned away because of their race.

FAA administrator Bryan Bedford said in a statement, “At the FAA, the safety of passengers is our number one priority.” He added, “It is a bare minimum expectation for airlines to hire the most qualified individual when making someone responsible for hundreds of lives at a time.”

Bedford maintained that “Someone’s race, sex, or creed has nothing to do with their ability to fly and land aircraft safely.”