Originally Posted by
lukedpilot03
No thats not what he said.
You're right...but that's basically what is implied with "they won't give a rat's behind about a degree".
Does a four year degree improves your flying skills and your experience??
No, it doesn't. Like I said upthread, a degree will be used as a screening tool, much like total time, an ATP, a FEX written or a certain number of turbine PIC time.
There's no need to remove having a bachelor's degree as a basic requirement so long as vacancies can be filled with pilots meeting said requirement...and there won't be any shortage of qualified pilots who have a 4 year degree wanting to work for "better" operators like Delta, FedEx, SWA, UPS, etc. well into the future, even after "mass retirements" begin.
IMO, anybody betting their career progression on retirements causing major/legacy airlines to drop a degree requirement best start preparing themselves for a major let-down...