Turkey Tightens Rules On Pilots Wanting To Work Abroad

Aviation authorities in Turkey are tightening rules for Turkish pilots who resign and move abroad to work for foreign airlines as the industry scrambles to hire additional people during the booming peak period.

There is a shortage of workers to handle the increase in demand following the COVID-19 lockdowns, which has resulted in particularly long lines at airports around Europe this summer.

According to Turkish authorities, pilots who want to work for foreign airlines will need a letter of consent from their previous company. The authority stated that if a pilot resigns without a letter of consent, their application for verification will be held up for six months.

According to official figures, Turkey’s air traffic and passenger counts have returned to pre-outbreak levels.

Civil aviation and transportation officials will meet with the Hava Union, which claims that the new legislation interferes with pilots’ freedom of labour, in order to debate the modifications.

There is a high need for Turkish pilots in Gulf and North American airlines, according to Hava.  According to the Turkish aviation authorities, there are 10,525 licenced pilots in the country.

Before the start of the summer travel season, Germany announced that it would expedite the work permits and visas of thousands of foreign airport workers, primarily from Turkey.

Source: Reuter