Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy Orders Airlines to Certify Merit-Based Pilot Hiring

Sean Duffy

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy Orders Airlines to Certify Merit-Based Pilot Hiring

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy announced Friday that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will require all commercial airlines to formally certify that pilot hiring decisions are based strictly on merit and qualifications.

The new directive comes in the form of a mandatory “Operations Specification” (OpSpec), which requires U.S. carriers to affirm compliance with merit-based hiring standards. Airlines that fail to certify adherence could face federal investigation.

“When families board their aircraft, they should fly with confidence knowing the pilot behind the controls is the best of the best,” Duffy said in a statement. “The American people don’t care what their pilot looks like or their gender—they just care that they are the most qualified man or woman for the job. Safety drives everything we do.”

The Department of Transportation said the action aligns with President Donald J. Trump’s executive order on ending illegal discrimination and restoring merit-based opportunity, as well as his aviation safety directives.

FAA Oversight and Federal Authority

FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford emphasized that safety remains the agency’s top priority.

“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,” Bedford said. “Race, sex, or creed has nothing to do with someone’s ability to safely operate an aircraft.”

Under federal law, specifically 49 U.S. Code § 44701(b) and (d), the FAA is authorized to prescribe minimum safety standards for air carriers. Officials said the new OpSpec reinforces the expectation that airlines identify pilot candidates whose technical aptitude, training, and experience align with the complexities of commercial aviation operations.

Policy Shift

According to the Transportation Department, the FAA has already taken steps to revise previous directives, dismantle diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) offices and contracts within the agency, and raise performance standards.

The department stated that while existing federal regulations establish rigorous qualification and training requirements for pilots, the new certification requirement adds an additional layer of transparency and accountability.

Airlines will now be required to formally confirm that pilot hiring decisions are grounded in verified technical knowledge, cognitive ability, and documented flight experience before new hires enter federally mandated training programs.

The Department of Transportation said the move is intended to strengthen public confidence in aviation safety while ensuring compliance with federal anti-discrimination and merit-based employment standards.