Airlines Push for Lone Pilot Flights to Cut Costs Despite Safety Fears
- Dozens of countries are pushing for single-pilot operations
- Shifting to one pilot may happen as soon as 2027, EASA says
This article is for subscribers only.
Airlines and regulators are pushing to have just one pilot in the cockpit of passenger jets instead of two. It would lower costs and ease pressure from crew shortages, but placing such responsibility on a single person at the controls is unsettling for some.
Over 40 countries including Germany, the UK and New Zealand have asked the United Nations body that sets aviation standards to help make single-pilot flights a safe reality. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency has also been working with planemakers to determine how solo flights would operate and preparing rules to oversee them. EASA said such services could start in 2027.