Roy proposes raising pilot retirement age

In a move supported by organizations including the San Antonio International Airport, Representative Chip Roy (TX-21) introduced a bill proposing raising the mandatory retirement age for pilots from 65 to 67.

The Let Experienced Pilots Fly Act is a response to the current spike in flight delays and cancellations throughout the country, which Roy attributed to “heavy-handed stupidity of government lockdowns” causing travel demand to naturally skyrocket.

“However, Americans are now experiencing flight delays and cancellations on an unacceptable scale due to a worsening pilot shortage,” said Roy. “A key factor is a government-mandated retirement age that forces out thousands of our most qualified pilots every year. That’s why Senator Graham and I are introducing the Let Experienced Pilots Fly Act to immediately alleviate the consequences of this artificial shortage by raising the commercial pilot retirement age from 65 to 67.”

The bill would not make any further changes governing pilot requirements beyond age, and the mandatory age for retirement has not been raised since 2007, according to a release from Roy’s office.

The bill’s House cosponsors include Reps Clay Higgins

(LA-03), Dusty Johnson (SDAL), Mary Miller (IL-15), Adrian Smith (NE-03), and Lauren Boebert (CO-03).

In a statement published in Reuters, the Regional Airline Association praised the legislation.

Raising the mandatory pilot retirement age is part of the solution to a critical issue with rippling effects,” they said.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has not voiced approval for the proposed legislation, telling Fox News last month that the regulation is in place “for safety reasons. I haven’t seen any piece of information or data that would suggest that the reasoning has changed.”