Navigating uncertainty: the case of airline pilots

Saskia Vulturius

Chapter 17 in Research Handbook on Air Transport Management, 2026, pp 222-235 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: This chapter researches the concept of uncertainty, with a focus on how various forms of uncertainty impact the aviation industry. It begins by identifying and discussing several types of uncertainty, including macroeconomic, regulatory, political, natural, and social uncertainties. Each of these plays a critical role in shaping the operational environment of the aviation sector. After establishing this concept, the chapter moves on to an examination of job satisfaction within the aviation industry, with a specific focus on how these uncertainties affect airline pilots. To provide a real-world context, the chapter presents a case study on a global public health crisis, the COVID-19 pandemic. As a critical case of social uncertainty, COVID-19 had extensive impacts and consequences on the aviation industry, especially influencing pilot job satisfaction during the pandemic. The case study enables us to illustrate how external, uncontrollable events of uncertainty can significantly impact the diverse range of workplace factors influencing airline pilots’ job satisfaction, including job security.

Keywords: Uncertainty; Public health crises; Airline pilots; Job satisfaction; COVID-19; Job security (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
ISBN: 9781035336272
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