Air Passengers in the Dark Regarding Pilot Backgrounds

By Peter Iglinski

Rochester, NY – Not all pilots are created equal. Some have a great deal of experience and a clear disciplinary record. Other pilots have much different backgrounds. But when passengers board a plane, there have no idea of who's at the controls.

WXXI's Peter Iglinski looks at the lack of available information on pilots and whether it even matters.
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Continental Flight 3407 crashed outside Buffalo one-year-ago this month, kiling 50 people. A federal report concluded that pilot error was the probable cause.

The tragedy brought stark differences between major airlines and regional carriers to the surface. Flight 3407 was operated for Continental by Colgan Air, a regional airline. Among other things, regional airlines typically pay pilots much less and require fewer commercial flying hours before hiring pilots.

Should passengers know ahead of time who's flying the plane, as well as the backgrounds of the pilot and co-pilot? Chris Elliott thinks so. He's a syndicated travel columnist and ombudsman for National Geographic Traveler.

"Is it reasonable to want to know whether the surgeon that's operating on you has had a malpractice suit against him or her? Is it reasonable to know if the lawyer that you're working with has ever had any trouble with the bar?"

To be sure, there's no public outcry in favor of advance information on pilots. Elliott says that's because people put a lot of faith in airlines.

"And with good reason. I mean, really, if you look at the statistics, air travel is very safe. It is statistically safer than almost any other form of transportation. The only way you could be safer is to stay home."

At the same time, Elliott says people have reason to be concerned. He says the two-tiered system of pay has resulted in a "junior level of pilots" at the regional airlines with safety records that are unknown to the flying public.

Even if pilot profiles were to be released, Elliott points out there are logistical issues.

"If you found out about those problems, what could you do? Could you tell the airline I'm not going to fly with this pilot; I'm not going to fly on this plane? It does present some challenges. I mean, would the airline then have to give you a refund?"

We contacted Republic Airways to talk about the issue, but never heard back. Republic operates a number of regional airlines that fly under major airline brands, such as American, Continental, Delta and US Airways.

George Cook is a marketing specialist at the Simon School of Business. He says airlines are reluctant to release pilot information likely because of legal concerns.

"If a pilot perhaps has been, let's say, reprimanded or disciplined for whatever reason might be, that..information tends to be legally protected and is generally company confidential. They have to be careful about what they release, particularly when it might imply safety scenarios or so forth."

But Cook sees an opportunity for airlines. If an airline were to release pilot information, Cook says it would be a PR-plus.

"In that case that regional airline would have a leg up and a promotional-plus, if you will, in terms of the other airlines that don't do that, so therefore they get a marketing advantage, I think."

And Cook says if one regional airline decided to release pilot profiles, others would be forced to follow suit. And Cook says that would be a plus for everyone who flies regional airlines.