American low-cost carrier Southwest Airlines, like many other airlines, is having difficulty recruiting new pilots. The solution: halve the required flight time.

Despite the climate issue, demand for flights is increasing after the pandemic, and together with retirements, this means that pilots are now in short supply in the American labor market. Southwest Airlines alone needs to recruit about 1,700 pilots this year, in competition with other companies facing similar challenges.

Southwest Airlines' solution to the problem: Lowering the requirements. Instead of 1,000 flight hours, it will set the jet experience requirement at 500 hours, a change that will take effect on February 7, reports the financial newspaper The Wall Street Journal.

At the same time, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) still requires 1,500 flight hours, but to meet that requirement, pilots can also credit flight time with propeller aircraft.

Source: TT-DI.SE