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FAA Puts DEI in the Crosshairs, Threatens Any Airline That Doesn’t Hire By Merit

February 15, 2026

Commercial airplane approaching for landing against a clear blue sky, showcasing its wings and landing gear.

Commercial airplane approaching for landing against a clear blue sky, showcasing its wings and landing gear.

Airlines musty prove they have shed their DEI policies when it comes to hiring pilots, according to a new Federal Aviation Administration directive.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced Friday that every commercial airline must formally commit to merit-based hiring for pilots, according to an FAA news release.

“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 most qualified man or woman for the job,” Duffy said.

“Safety drives everything we do, and this commonsense measure will increase transparency between passengers and airlines,” he added.

The FAA release noted that while it “has raised performance standards, dismantled DEI offices and contracts, and revised absurd Biden-Buttigieg era directives that wasted time renaming cockpits to flight decks, allegations of airlines hiring based on race and sex remain.”

Failure to comply “will subject airlines to federal investigation,” the release said.

“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,” he said.

The release noted that air safety “is fundamentally dependent upon the knowledge and proficiency of its flight crewmembers. Federal regulations establish rigorous training and qualification standards.”

“The effectiveness of these training programs is enhanced when new-hire pilot applicants enter training possessing a verified baseline of technical knowledge, cognitive skills, and piloting qualifications and experience,” the release said.

The notice said the FAA “acknowledges the importance of merit-based hiring that requires airlines to identify candidates whose specific experience and technical aptitude align with the complexities of their specific operating environment.”

As noted by Reuters, President Donald Trump last year issued executive orders to dismantle DEI programs in the federal government and is seeking to spread that approach to the private sector.

Airlines for America, which represents American Airlines, United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and Southwest Airlines, said in response to the FAA directive that “safety is, and always will be, the top priority for U.S. airlines.”

The group said “carriers comply with all federal regulations and laws, including those related to qualifications, training and licensing.”

This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.

The post FAA Puts DEI in the Crosshairs, Threatens Any Airline That Doesn’t Hire By Merit appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.