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Allied Pilots Association: Raising Pilot Retirement Age “Would Mean Flying Blind”

FORT WORTH, Texas (Aug. 29, 2025) – The Allied Pilots Association (APA), representing the 16,000 pilots of American Airlines, voiced concerns about the International Air Transport Association’s request that the U.N.’s International Civil Aviation Organization raise the international age limit for commercial pilots from 65 to 67.

“There is insufficient data regarding what risks would be associated with increasing pilot retirement age,” said First Officer Nick Silva, APA President. “Existing regulations governing pilot duty and rest are based on safety studies for a workforce capped at age 65 and reflect lessons learned from past accidents. Without new research, raising the retirement age would mean flying blind.”

Silva pointed out that IATA’s rationale for raising the retirement age – to meet demand for pilots – no longer exists in the United States. Spirit Airlines has pilots on furlough, and American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines have all slowed or halted pilot hiring.

“Raising the pilot retirement age now would constitute a solution in search of a problem and run counter to longstanding safety practices by U.S. airline operators and regulators,” he said.

Silva also cited data showing higher long-term disability rates among older pilots. At American Airlines, 71% of pilots on long-term disability are older than age 55, reflecting reduced productivity and higher costs as pilots age. Moreover, cognitive performance declines with age, affecting reaction time, situational awareness, and problem-solving, along with an increased risk of sudden incapacitation from heart attacks and strokes.

Founded in 1963, the Allied Pilots Association – the largest independent pilots union in the United States – is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. APA represents the 16,000 pilots of American Airlines, including several hundred pilots on full-time military leave of absence serving in the armed forces. The union’s website is AlliedPilots.org.