FAA requires airlines to certify theyre not using DEI in hiring

Under the mandate, announced Friday evening by the FAA and the Transportation Department, all U.S. carriers will be told to formally commit to merit-based hiring of pilots.
"Failure to do so will subject airlines to federal investigation," the DOT said.
The DOT said it is issuing the mandate due to ongoing allegations of airlines using DEI practices in pilot hiring. The department didnt immediately respond to a request to provide details of the alleged allegations.

The DOT said it is issuing the mandate due to ongoing allegations of airlines using DEI practices in pilot hiring. The department didnt immediately respond to a request to provide details of the alleged allegations. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, women comprised 9.6% of U.S. pilots and flight engineers at the end of 2024, while Black people accounted for 4.4%, Hispanic or Latino comprised 8.3% and Asian was 2.7%. The DOT said the mandate was part of the Trump administrations broader policy to crack down on DEI hiring initiatives.  Airlines and the largest U.S. pilots union say pilots are already hired based on merit. "Delta has always made hiring decisions for pilots -- and all positions -- based on qualifications and merit and continues to do so," a company spokesman said.  The trade group Airlines for America (A4A), which represents the largest U.S. carriers, added that safety will always be the top priority of its member airlines. "A4A carriers comply with all federal regulations and laws, including those related to qualifications, training and licensing," the trade group said. The Airline Pilots Association (ALPA) union, which represents pilots for Delta, United, JetBlue, Alaska, Hawaiian, Frontier and Spirit, as well as several large regional U.S. airlines, said that all pilot members, "are trained and evaluated to the same uncompromising standard regardless of race, gender or background." "A pilots identity has no bearing on their ability to safely operate an aircraft," ALPA president Jason Ambrosi said. "What matters is training, experience, and qualification -- and on that front, there are no shortcuts and no compromises."