Originally Posted by
Counselor
Gonna be a disaster. In 2007-2009 when Eagle was hiring at 300-400 TT, they couldn't get bodies in the door. Eagle's pilot forum would report every Monday how many actually showed up for newhire FO classes. If it was tough to get bodies at 400 TT, what's going to happen when age-65 retirements create vacancies at majors, but regionals can only fill their places with 1500-hour ATP's?
You do realize that there was a special element in play at this time that was creating such a demand for pilots. An element that I haven't seen in a while and I'm pretty sure you don't have to be a rocket scientist to understand why it will probably never again exist at the regional level.
GROWTH!!!
Find me growth at a regional airline. That peak has come and gone. Unless they start building airports in the middle of the ocean while the gubment subsidizes it. You can catch a commercial flight into just about any airport in the world. So I wouldn't count on any future expansion.
And no, Gojetzzzzz doesn't count as a growing airline. They fly nothing but other airlines lost flying. How many regional carriers needed to shed flying for these guys to build an airline is sad. I think a lot of the flying lost is gone forever.
I don't think the key to a better profession with respect to pay, QOL and flat out respect lies in the supply and demand of pilots. The real key is in the demand for lift. Less seats in the air makes it easier for the airlines to charge more. Charging more generates more revenue for lesser overhead. In theory it would make it harder for the corporations to come up with excuses to pay you less.
I'm sure there are many views to that concept. Doesn't matter how short they are on pilots. You will never get paid more if they keep giving tickets away. I wouldn't bank on a shortage to help you out in the future.