Busting the myth: only 30% of airline CEOs are prioritizing pilot recruitment

Global consulting firm Deloitte has released its annual Airline CEO Survey, which includes some interesting findings about recruitment priorities and the worries that really keep airline bosses awake at night. 

The survey, published on May 29, 2025, picked the brains of 32 airline CEOs from across the globe in April 2025, just after US President Donald Trump announced new tariffs. 

When asked about the top three risks that pose the greatest threat to their airline’s growth and stability over the next three years, 50% of CEOs selected economic and market conditions and 47% selected geopolitical instability.  

In third was supply chain disruptions (40%), while tariffs and pandemics were only a top concern of 10% and 3% of respondents, respectively. 

“The potential for fragile consumer and business confidence, escalating operating costs, and unpredictable demand patterns have replaced COVID-19–induced disruptions as the top sources of risk,” said Deloitte.  

When asked for their top three priorities for improvement over the next 12 months, operational excellence was cited by 66% of airline CEOs.  

This was followed by cost control and financial health (66%) and then customer experience (55%). 

“After years of rapid growth and workforce expansion, many carriers are rebalancing toward leaner, more efficient operations,” commented Deloitte.  

Perhaps one of the most intriguing parts of the survey was when CEOs were asked for the top three workforce initiatives that they were prioritizing to meet the evolving needs of their airline.  

From those surveyed, the top answer cited was leadership development and succession planning (53%), followed by employee engagement, experience and well-being (47%). Ony 30% identified pilot recruitment as being among their top three priorities. 

“Interestingly, some headline-grabbing concerns of recent years, like pilot recruitment and retention, have receded slightly, with only 30% of CEOs listing it as a current priority,” explained Deloitte. 

Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) was chosen by 80% of airline CEOs among their top three initiatives for achieving sustainability goals. 

Block time fuel optimization was next on the list with 63% prioritizing the initiative, followed by fleet modernization, which was selected by 53% of the CEOs surveyed. 

You can study Deloitte’s 2025 Airline CEO Survey in full on its website. 

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