Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has ordered US airlines to institute merit-based hiring processes — on pain of federal investigation, The Post can exclusively reveal.
Under a new so-called “Operations Specification,” each airline will have to certify that its pilots are selected based only on experience and aptitude.
“When families board their aircraft, they should fly with confidence knowing the pilot behind the controls is the best of the best. The American people don’t care what their pilot looks like or their gender — they just care that they are most qualified man or woman for the job,” said Duffy in a statement.
“Safety drives everything we do, and this commonsense measure will increase transparency between passengers and airlines.”
Airlines for America, the top lobbying group representing North American airlines, issued a statement approving of the move.
“A4A carriers comply with all federal regulations and laws, including those related to qualifications, training, and licensing,” a rep said.
The Department of Transportation has slashed diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs and funding touted by Duffy’s predecessor, Pete Buttigieg, since the former Wisconsin congressman took over last year.
