The Psychological Bonds between Airline Pilots and their Work: From Passion to Reason

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The Psychological Bonds between Airline Pilots and their Work: From Passion to Reason

Grefe, Gwenaëlle / Peyrat‐Guillard, Dominique

The air passenger transport sector is closely dependent on its human resources. Among them, airline pilots occupy a special place, as a strategic actor, controlling a major area of uncertainty. The professional identity of airline pilots, through their desire to fly, is inextricably linked to their organizational identity. The work of A. L. Fraher and Y. Gabriel shows that the American company was an integral part of the pilots' dream. The deregulation of the air transport sector has created a volatile and competitive global market environment that has implications for HR policies. Often misunderstood, externally by the general public but also internally, airline pilots are nevertheless a strategic resource that forces take up of the challenges of HRM adapted to the specificities of their profession, while preserving the necessary organizational justice toward cabin crew and ground staff.