If you were in the industry '07, you will recall a mass hiring wave at the majors that had been unseen since pre-9/11. Regionals were canceling flights for lack of crews, and had major delays in training the pilots they had for lack of qualified line check airmen.
Then Age 65 passed and the world fell off a cliff into the greatest financial catastrophe since the Great Depression. You have to think that is going to effect your own career advancement in some significant manner.
Not saying that flight school reps aren't sleazy as used car salesman and will tell you whatever you want to hear, but its not some vast conspiracy either. The retirement numbers don't lie and neither do the strains previously seen on the system in years past. Supply and Demand rules, where you fit in that big picture is subject to much variation.