U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy announced that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will require all commercial airlines to formally commit to hiring pilots based on merit. The new mandatory Operations Specification (OpSpec) aims to ensure that pilot selection is not influenced by factors such as race or sex.
The FAA has recently increased performance standards and eliminated diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) offices and contracts. These changes also include revisions to directives from previous administrations, such as terminology updates in aviation operations. Despite these efforts, there have been ongoing concerns about non-merit-based hiring practices in some airlines.
Under the new OpSpec mandate, U.S. carriers must certify they are using only merit-based criteria for pilot hiring. Airlines failing to comply may face federal investigations.
“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 U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy. “Safety drives everything we do, and this commonsense measure will increase transparency between passengers and airlines.”
This policy follows executive actions by President Donald J. Trump designed to end illegal discrimination and promote safety in aviation through merit-based opportunity.
“At the FAA, the safety of passengers is our number one priority,” said FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford. “It is a bare minimum expectation for airlines to hire the most qualified individual when making someone responsible for hundreds of lives at a time. Someone’s race, sex, or creed, has nothing to do with their ability to fly and land aircraft safely.”
The FAA holds authority under 49 U.S.C § 44701(b) and (d) to set minimum safety standards for air carriers. The new specification recognizes that operational safety depends on selecting pilots whose skills match complex airline environments and who meet established training requirements.
Federal regulations require rigorous training and qualification standards for flight crews; these programs are most effective when applicants already possess verified technical knowledge and piloting experience before entering training.
