Regional carrier Republic Airways hopes its stern new controversial strategy will retain pilots amidst an ongoing pilot shortage in the US. The strategy, which is included in the airline’s eye-catching new employment contract, is also part of a pilot pathway program.
The pilot shortage has impacted regional airlines such as Republic more than mainline carriers. As a result, Republic introduced a new pilot contract designed to keep pilots at the airline for longer than one year.
Agreement details
According to One Mile At A Time, Republic is seeking new pilots to fly exclusively under its new agreement, also known as the Republic Airways New First Officer Career Advancement Program. The somewhat unprecedented contract has some key stipulations:
- After one year, pilots may have the opportunity to graduate to the captain position but will need to fly as much as they can in order to do so
- New hires are committing to being a captain for two years
- Pilots who voluntarily break the agreement and leave the airline before the three-year mark are subject to a $100,000 fine
- If a pilot resigns before the three-year mark, they are not allowed to work for any other competing airline within a year
Any first officer who advances to becoming a captain within a year will also face low seniority and may have to commute to their base, which could be less ideal. Additionally, rather than Republic charging pilots who break their contract as a penalty, the airline reportedly refers to the offense as liquidated damages.