U.S. Regional Carriers Face Multiple Challenges as They Gather for Convention | Aviation International News

U.S. Regional Carriers Face Multiple Challenges as They Gather for Convention

Pilot shortages, rising costs and new rules are creating yet more headaches for regional airlines.

From left to right, Superjet v-p of business development John Buckley, Powerjet v-p of sales and marketing for the Americas Lucas Aardenburg, acting FAA Administrator Michael Huerta, American Eagle president and RAA chairman Dan Garton, and RAA president Roger Cohen officially open the RAA’s 37th annual convention, held last week in Minneapolis. (Photo: Gregory Polek)

By Gregory Polek • Senior Editor

May 28, 2012

A looming pilot shortage, stubbornly high fuel prices, industry consolidation and new regulations that will require, among other items, first officers to carry an Air Transport Pilots certificate by August 2013 all made their mark on the 37^th annual Regional Airline Association convention, held May 21 to 24 in Minneapolis. So too did the recent financial results of the industry’s publicly traded airlines, which now account for two-thirds of the entire universe of regional carriers. During the first quarter those airlines registered their first composite net loss in more than a decade, prompting a blunt assessment from American Eagle president and RAA chairman Dan Garton. “This is a trend that obviously cannot continue,” he said during the convention’s general session.

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