Government moves to tackle jobless pilot crisis and 'Pay to Fly' scheme
The government is stepping in to resolve a severe unemployment crisis among Thai commercial pilots and to eliminate the controversial ‘Pay to Fly’ practice in a bid to bolster safety and fairness in the domestic aviation industry.
Deputy Government Spokesperson Lalida Periswiwatana revealed today that Deputy Transport Minister Phattarapong Phataraprasit recently chaired a meeting with the Thai Pilots Association (THAIPA), called to address pressing employment grievances.
Present at the high-level meeting were THAIPA president Terawatt Angkasakulkiat and representatives from relevant aviation agencies at the Ministry of Transport.
“The local aviation sector is still reeling from the prolonged fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Lalida stated.
Currently, there are 1,736 redundant Thai pilots and additional 1,219 Commercial Pilot License (CPL) holders who are still waiting to find a job. This massive surplus of highly trained but unemployed professionals is a waste of investment in their education and training, valued at more than 4.3 billion baht.
The spokesperson attributed the crisis to an oversupply of commercial pilots relative to market demand, the hiring of foreign pilots in certain operational segments and existing legal loopholes in specialised labour protection laws.
Furthermore, aspiring aviators are being crippled by the exploitative ‘Pay to Fly’ system, which forces candidates to shoulder exorbitant costs of securing type ratings or line training hours just for a chance at employment.
To address the problem, THAIPA submitted a comprehensive package of short and long term recommendations to the ministry.
Among the primary proposals are the implementation of clear guidelines to govern and effectively eliminate ‘Pay to Fly’ schemes and a major upgrade to employment standards and benefits for domestic flight crews.
The association also urged the government to enforce regulations that prioritise the employment of qualified Thai pilots over foreign nationals, and to establish dedicated whistleblower channels to protect those reporting industry malpractice.
THAIPA called for the creation of a managed system which better aligns pilot graduation rates with sector demand, to prevent future oversupply.
The ministry has accepted all of THAIPA’s proposals for further consideration and the formulation of effective legal and regulatory countermeasures.
The ultimate goals are to eliminate professional inequality, ensure fair access to a career path and enhance the long-term global competitiveness of Thailand's aviation sector.