The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has asked the U.N.’s aviation body to raise the international retirement age for commercial pilots from 65 to 67. The request comes as demand for global air travel outpaces the supply of qualified pilots.
The proposal will be reviewed at the General Assembly of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) on September 23. The ICAO currently sets the maximum international flying age at 65.
Many countries, including the United States, apply the same rule locally.
Safety or Shortage?
IATA, which represents about 350 airlines worldwide, argued that raising the age is “a cautious but reasonable step consistent with safety.” The group stressed that every flight would still require at least two pilots, with one younger than 65 if the other is above that age.
This is not the first adjustment. In 2006, ICAO raised the pilot age cap from 60 to 65. With more passengers now taking to the skies, airlines insist that extending pilot service by two more years could ease shortages without compromising safety.
But U.S. pilot unions remain strongly opposed. Allied Pilots Association (APA) spokesperson Dennis Tajer, himself an American Airlines pilot, warned: “We don’t gamble with safety that way.”
Other major U.S. pilot unions, including the Air Line Pilots Association and the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association, have kept their reservations, pointing to limited data on the risks of flying beyond age 65.
Divided Skies
This debate is not new. In 2023, a push by U.S. carriers to convince Congress to raise the retirement age failed after heavy resistance from pilot unions. Lawmakers remain split.
Interestingly, a bipartisan group of U.S. legislators recently urged President Donald Trump’s administration to support international efforts to lift the retirement age, signalling fresh political pressure.
For passengers, the question lingers: would you feel comfortable boarding a long-haul flight captained by a 67-year-old pilot, or does safety outweigh shortage concerns? Share your thoughts in the comments.
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