According to The New York Post, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has ordered U.S. airlines to certify that pilot hiring is based strictly on experience and aptitude, warning that noncompliance could trigger federal investigation.
Under a new “Operations Specification,” carriers must formally attest that pilots are selected on merit alone.
“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 the most qualified man or woman for the job,” Duffy said in a statement.
“Safety drives everything we do, and this commonsense measure will increase transparency between passengers and airlines.”
Airlines for America, the industry’s top lobbying group, signaled support.
“A4A carriers comply with all federal regulations and laws, including those related to qualifications, training, and licensing,” a spokesperson said.
The move follows the Department of Transportation’s rollback of diversity, equity, and inclusion programs implemented under former Secretary Pete Buttigieg.
The White House Office of Management and Budget recently directed DOT to cut more than $943 million in grants described as wasteful, including funding tied to electric vehicle infrastructure in California, Colorado, Illinois, and Minnesota.
The DOT said the merit-based hiring directive stems from President Trump’s executive orders aimed at ending discrimination and restoring merit-based standards.
The Federal Aviation Administration, a DOT subagency, has also committed to eliminating DEI offices and contracts while raising pilot training standards. That comes amid lawsuits alleging air traffic controller applicants were rejected based on race.
“At the FAA, the safety of passengers is our number one priority,” FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said. “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,” Bedford added.
In a recent briefing, Bedford tied those efforts to funding in Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill,” which included $12.5 billion aimed at modernizing the aging air traffic control system.
According to DOT, 40% of legacy copper wiring has already been replaced, and 612 new radar systems are slated for installation by June 2028.
More over at The New York Post:
Exclusive | Transportation chief Duffy mandates merit-based hiring of US airline pilots https://t.co/l0JIVM7elX pic.twitter.com/2J52ipcS3g
— New York Post (@nypost) February 13, 2026
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