Japan lifts retirement age for airline pilots
Responding to a chronic shortage of qualified airline pilots Japan has lifted the upper age limit for pilots to 67 years old.
Currently pilots have to retire from the cockpit at 65 and the new rule will allow pilots to continue flying right up to their 68th birthday.
"We are aiming to ease a shortage while still ensuring safety," a transport ministry official said.
The ministry added that Japan currently has 5,900 qualified airline pilots with almost 10% of that figure aged 60 or over.
Although over 65s will be able to continue flying, time in the air will be reduced by 20% on average, to 80 hours per month, the ministry said.
They will also be required to undergo epilepsy tests.
By 2030 there is expected to be a major shortage of pilots throughout Asia Pacific due to the exponential rise in air travel demand.
The shortage is also most acute in the region because of the relative high cost for training.
"It is relatively cheap in countries like Australia or the United States to get a basic pilot’s license. It’s just a general aviation culture but in Asia Pacific you don’t really have that type of activity going on as much," said Greg Waldron, the Asia managing editor of aviation website FlightGlobal.
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Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.
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