The International Air Transport Association has submitted a proposal to raise the pilot retirement age from 65 to 67, which will be reviewed by the International Civil Aviation Organisation at its General Assembly starting September 23.

Representing about 350 airlines, IATA described the change as a “cautious but reasonable step consistent with safety.”

Under current international rules, pilots over 65 are barred from flying international routes, a restriction also enforced domestically in several countries, including the United States.

IATA’s plan would maintain the requirement for two pilots in the cockpit, stipulating that if one is over 65, the other must be younger.

The push comes almost 20 years after ICAO last raised the retirement age, from 60 to 65 in 2006.

As air travel demand surges in the post-pandemic rebound, airlines warn that a lack of experienced pilots could strain global flight operations.

But the proposal is meeting resistance, especially from United States pilot unions. The Allied Pilots Association, which represents American Airlines pilots, argued against the change, pointing to limited research on potential health and safety risks.

“We don’t gamble with safety that way,” said APA spokesperson and pilot Dennis Tajer.

Last month, a bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers called on the Trump administration to back global efforts to extend the pilot retirement age, highlighting rising political attention on the issue.

If adopted, ICAO’s proposal could alter airline staffing policies worldwide, offering short-term relief to carriers grappling with pilot shortages—while also reigniting debate over aviation safety and the role of age in the cockpit.