American Airlines offering some pilots $250K to join regional carrier
FedEx and UPS pilots are a hot commodity right now -- American Airlines is offering a quarter of a million dollars to pilots who leave their cargo jobs to join AA’s regional carrier.
According to ABC News, AA is offering a $250,000 signing bonus to “any captain who leaves FedEx or UPS” and joins subsidiary PSA Airlines.
PSA Airlines operates shorter, regional flights. It has hubs throughout the country, including at Charlotte Douglas International Airport.
AA says a regional pilot shortage is leading to canceled flights at smaller airports across the United States, according to ABC News.
ALSO READ: American Airlines increases availability for winter international trips from CLT
This comes as the two large cargo shippers have reduced shipments and hours for some pilots. FedEx said in a statement to ABC News that it shared information about the AA opportunity with its pilots.
One former pilot, John Nance, told ABC News that this kind of money is “unprecedented” for poaching a pilot.
“The smaller carriers have been losing pilots at a very high rate of speed to the major carriers,” Nance said.
But ABC News spoke with aviation experts who said they’re not sure how many senior cargo pilots will start flying passenger planes.
(WATCH: Officers deliver dumped FedEx packages)
