2026 Pilot Hiring Forecast and Airline Merger Rumors, With Professor Jim Higgins
A state-of-the-industry conversation on hiring, fuel, merger rumors and the warning signs every airline pilot should watch for.
Recorded just before Spirit Airlines shut down, Episode 358 brings back University of North Dakota aviation professor and former MEC chair Jim Higgins for a state-of-the-industry conversation about the major US airlines.
- 01What FAPA numbers reveal about pilot hiring in 2026
- 02Wording in earnings calls and press releases that can signal trouble before furloughs
- 03How fuel prices and the Strait of Hormuz affect pilot pay
- 04What bankruptcy versus liquidation would have meant for Spirit
- 05How seniority list integration and ALPA merger protocols work
- 06The Allegiant and Sun Country deal
The real hiring picture
Higgins looks at what FAPA numbers reveal about pilot hiring in 2026, and the wording in earnings calls and press releases that can warn of trouble before furloughs.
Fuel and pay
A war on the other side of the world can reach your paycheck. The two discuss fuel prices, the Strait of Hormuz and how they connect to pilot pay.
Mergers and rumors
The conversation covers Spirit’s financial trouble, United and JetBlue rumors, whether talk of a United and American merger was a smokescreen, and what Delta, Alaska and Southwest would have to do if a large United merger happened.
Seniority and what comes next
Higgins explains seniority list integration and ALPA merger protocols, why Southwest hired an M&A law firm, the Allegiant and Sun Country deal, and whether Delta could expand by buying foreign carriers outright.
Jim Higgins
Jim Higgins is a Professor of Aviation at the University of North Dakota and a former MEC chair. This was his return to the show.
Frequently asked questions
Is pilot hiring strong in 2026?
In this episode Jim Higgins looks at what FAPA numbers reveal about the real hiring picture in 2026.
How do seniority lists work in an airline merger?
Higgins explains seniority list integration and ALPA merger protocols in this episode.
Who is Jim Higgins?
Jim Higgins is a Professor of Aviation at the University of North Dakota and a former MEC chair.
