Says Change Would "Replace One Arbitrary Age Limit With Another"

Though commonly on opposite sides of nearly any issue having to do with pilots' rights -- especially pay issues -- Northwest Airlines and the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) recently joined forces to oppose extending the FAA's current "Age 60" pilot retirement rule by five years. Both entities are actively engaging in joint lobbying efforts to stop legislation that would extend the current age restriction on active pilots from 60 to 65.

Northwest CEO Doug Steenland and ALPA's David Stevens said in a joint letter to Tennessee Senator Bob Corker, they're "strongly opposed to the legislative proposal to replace the Age 60 Rule for pilots. The proposed Age 65 Rule will replace one arbitrary age limit with another with no criterion-based process for determining pilot fitness."

The groups also contend the new age restriction may even jeopardize safety, according to the Memphis Business Journal.

NWA and ALPA claim there's "no medical evidence" to support a later retirement age for pilots and, if passed, the rule will delay retirement of numerous pilots and delay the promotion of younger pilots.

Since the FAA's announcement it would propose the Age 65 Rule, ALPA's president, Capt. John Prater, established the ALPA Age 60 Blue Ribbon Panel to study the long-range effects of potential changes to the FAA Age 60 Rule and to identify issues connected to possible changes to pilot mandatory retirement age.

House bills S.65 and H.R. 1125 would raise the upper age limit to 65 in multi-crew operations, as long as the other required pilot is under 60.

ALPA expects attempts will be made to attach or include at least one of the bills in each chamber's version of the 2007 FAA reauthorization bills, which the committees of jurisdiction are scheduling to debate and vote on in May or June, according to the union.

FMI: www.alpa.org, www.nwa.com