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UN aviation agency ICAO to consider proposal at September

General Assembly

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Airlines group IATA cites pilot shortage as reason for age

increase

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US pilot unions oppose raising retirement age due to

safety

concerns

By Dan Catchpole

SEATTLE, Aug 27 (Reuters) - A group representing global

airlines has asked the U.N.'s aviation agency to raise the

international age limit for commercial pilots to 67 years from

65, saying worldwide demand for air travel is outstripping the

supply of aviators.

The U.N.'s International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)

will consider the proposal, which has been opposed by major U.S.

pilot unions, at its General Assembly that convenes on September

23.

International rules prohibit airline pilots older than 65

from flying international flights, and many countries, including

the United States, apply the same rule domestically as well.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA), which

represents about 350 airlines, said raising the limit by two

years is a "cautious but reasonable step consistent with

safety."

There would still have to be at least two pilots operating

each flight, including one younger than 65 if the other pilot is

above that age, IATA said in a working paper published on ICAO's

website.

In 2006, ICAO lifted the age limit from 60 to 65.

The major pilot unions in the U.S. have opposed a higher

retirement age based on safety concerns.

There is not enough data available to adequately understand

the risk of increasing the retirement age, said Allied Pilots

Association (APA) spokesperson Dennis Tajer, an American

Airlines ( AAL ) pilot.

"We don't gamble with safety that way," he said.

The Air Line Pilots Association and the Southwest Airlines

Pilot Association did not immediately respond to requests for

comment.

U.S. pilot unions opposed an unsuccessful push backed by

U.S. carriers in 2023 to get Congress to raise the mandatory

airline pilot retirement age to 67 from 65.

A bipartisan group of lawmakers in Congress last month

pushed President Donald Trump's administration to support

international efforts to raise the mandatory pilot retirement

age.