In the middle of a competition for pilots in the United States, start-up airline Connect Airlines is attempting to entice captains with a new salary offer.
The regional airline is looking for up to 30 qualified captains with a minimum of 2,500 hours, and it is offering a yearly salary of over $250,000. The airline plans to launch services with Dash 8 aircraft.
John Thomas, CEO of Connect Airlines, stated in a statement on July 14, 2022, “We recognise the hiring challenges the industry is facing and are taking these unprecedented steps to meet the business objectives of our start-up airline while offering pilots economic security and quality of life opportunities.” We must act uniquely and shrewdly in order to establish a new airline in a competitive market.
Connect, which intends to provide transborder flights between the US and Canada, stated that it hopes to recruit captains seeking a healthy work-life balance by emphasising the fact that its aircraft will return to their home base each day.
The airline added that it was eager for pilots to directly contribute to the development and expansion of the company.
“There is a significant benefit in working with our pilots to build a smarter airline, and we are backing that up with a compensation package that is significantly higher than any other Regional in the USA and highly competitive with Low Cost Carriers (LCC) as well”
Chief Operating Officer David Marcontell stated
Pilot wage contracts are now being negotiated with major US carriers American and United, with American having proposed a salary raise of 17%. United and its pilot unions were renegotiating a compensation agreement since the initial agreement, which provided a 14 percent pay raise, did not meet all pilots’ expectations.
In order to attract and keep staff as demand for travel picks up again after the pandemic, US airlines have improved salaries, benefits, and bonuses. Thousands of pilots have left the business during the crisis; many have taken early retirements or have decided not to return. But the causes of the current shortfall go back a long way.
In order to complete its accreditation procedure, Connect stated that it was “working closely” with US and Canadian officials. It intends to start scheduled services between Chicago’s O’Hare (ORD) and Philadelphia’s (PHL) airports and Toronto’s Billy Bishop’s (YTZ) convenient downtown airport. The certificate for Connect enabling international scheduled air transportation has received preliminary approval from the US Department of Transportation (DOT).
The carrier signed a contract to convert ATR 72-600 regional planes to hydrogen powertrains to become a zero-emission airline.
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