Originally Posted by
Seafest320
HR has no knowledge of this. HR says hiring will continue at the current pace for the foreseeable future. The pilot numbers I heard about were an additional 100 to 150 through this year and 400 to 500 next year. Totaling around 1500 to 1600 on the list at the end of 2016. Numerically that would call for slightly larger class sizes than current ones but there is an additional sim on the way so we don't where the training rate will ultimately stabilize. A new hire class starting every two weeks instead of one per month could change things dramatically although that is pure speculation
I also heard about the supposed slow down. The slow down talk has been coming out of departments other than HR.
I figure HR are the people most in the know when it comes to hiring. I don't see any reason for lying about the numbers on their part. We can't wait for the planes to arrive to hire pilots to fly them so an increase in the ranks before new metal arrives on property makes sense from a logistical standpoint.
I've heard heard rumors of a slowdown as well, but I agree with Seafest. I think all the talk is from outside of HR. A few of us have been speculating on the future class sizes due to the additional sim. I pointedly asked if it might increase the size to 30 or more per month, put the training dept seemed to have the understanding that the new sim is not for growing class sizes, but to cut training costs in line with the business model. Each sim outside of the company costs $$. But I also think that company's plan might change when the fleet grows in the near future. Things seem to be changing on a weekly basis now.