For pilots, social sustainability means working in a profession where contributions are valued, health and safety are prioritized, with respect and fairness, ensuring duties are performed effectively and sustainably.

Atypical employment models for airline pilots lead to abuse in several ways, primarily through the erosion of pilot rights, compromised safety, and negative socioeconomic impacts related to reduced job security, poor pay and benefits, high Out-of-Pocket Costs & Pressure to Accept Unfavorable Terms.

Flags of convenience (FOCs) lead to significant abuse and societal harm:

1. Erosion of Safety Standards: FOC airlines might operate under lax regulatory oversight, compromising oversight, rest requirements, and overall safety protocols, increasing the risk of accidents.
2. Exploitation of Pilots: Pilots working for FOC-registered airlines face reduced wages, poor working conditions, and minimal job protections, as these airlines operate under weaker labor laws from the flag country that the airline does not actually operate in.
3. Job Insecurity: Pilots face precarious employment arrangements, such as freelance or agency contracts, as FOC carriers prioritize cost-saving measures over stable, direct employment.
4. Accountability Challenges: When incidents occur, pilots employed by FOC airlines often struggle with unclear legal protections, as the chain of responsibility is obscured by complex ownership and registration structures.
5. Undermining Professional Standards: FOC practices encourage a "race to the bottom," where pilots in non-FOC airlines are pressured to accept worse conditions as FOC airlines grow.

These practices harm the aviation profession, undermine pilot well-being, and pose risks to public safety.

Cabotage in the airline industry refers to the right of a foreign airline to operate domestic flights within another country. Here's why cabotage is contentious for pilots:

• Loss of National Control: Allowing foreign airlines to operate domestically can limit a country's ability to enforce labor laws and maintain oversight of safety and training requirements.
• Precarious Employment: Domestic airlines may adopt atypical employment practices, such as outsourcing to foreign carriers, further destabilizing continuity of professional standards.
• Job Displacement: Foreign airlines operating domestic routes may employ pilots from countries with lower wages, reducing opportunities for local pilots to work in their home country.
• Wage Suppression: Competition from foreign pilots earning lower salaries pressures domestic airlines to reduce wages and benefits for their pilots.
• Erosion of Standards: Foreign airlines may follow less stringent labor and safety regulations, creating a disparity in working conditions and undermining local standards.