At least at lUAL that is completely untrue. The minimum hours just to apply was 350 and no one, including interns, had less than 500. The average hours hired since 1985 has been somewhere near 3000. Even the infamously 570 group typically had ATP.

There are a few exceptions due to ethnic and gender requirements, but still nothing near 500 hour mark and again most were ATP.

Now if you mean lCAL I have no idea what the min was.

Considering gender I wonder if Kaitlin J could get hired today? Age, gender, famous media, ESPN heroe and so much more. UAL could even use KJ to do the safety video.