On December 13, 2007, President Bush signed legislation raising the mandatory retirement age for commercial airline pilots from age 60 to 65. The Senate approved the bill, entitled, "Fair Treatment for Experienced Pilots Act,” (H.R. 4343) by unanimous consent on December 12. The House approved the bill a day earlier. Since 1960, federal regulations have specified that commercial airline pilots must retire upon reaching 60 years of age.
By Patricia A. Schaeffer, Vice President-Regulatory Affairs