Can you fly for a major airline before 23?

Question

Is 23 the age to get hired, or the age to get your ATP?

Answer 1

how many years do you have to go, about ten?  Don't worry, you will know all of these answers by then.  Of course, I didn't' have Yahoo Answers, so I had to learn all of this stuff through experience.  So will you, but you will think you know some of it all ready.  Just be sure not to act like you know it all.  Good luck.

Answer 2

There is currently a shortage of pilots.  Many regionals have dropped that requirement, though the majors still have it in place.

Answer 3

Each airline has their own policy.  Many major airlines require an ATP certificate, which would dictate that their minimum age is 23.

Most airlines, especially the major airlines, don't state a minimum age.  Experience is what matters.  It's hard to get a job at a major airline without jet PIC time.  Most jobs as PIC in a jet require an ATP, so 24 or 25 is a realistic "minimum" age.  Even if PIC jet time is not required (rare), a college degree plus 1500+ hours of flight time is required.

That's like asking if you can be a surgeon at age 21.  There's no job postings that list a minimum age, but in reality, 99.9999% of 21-year-olds would not meet the educational or experience requirements for a job like that.

The regional airlines are a different story right now, but your question asked about the majors, so I'll leave it at that.

Answer 4

You don't need an ATP to be hired.....only a commercial with instrument rating.  I had several 20 year olds in my new hire class with the airline4s, but they were 21 before they graduated.