This is the problem. LOA 5 required a snapshot on Jan 1, 2016 of the number of Captains on property. Thereafter, for each net gain of 62 Captains PSA will increase the flow by 1 to a max of 8 per month. In 2016, that trigger never happened. A revisit of the numbers in May was delayed until June. The results are still unknown. 11 months of hiring at Americian triggered a flow for a total of 55 PSA pilots. So PSA can not increase flow without increasing Captains. Upgrades can not happen without filling new hire seats. Direct entry Captains happened for a period of time and it was reported as hurting new hire FO applications. Aircraft transfers were delayed. Upgrades did not happen in each month of 2016. More money, more money has helped fill the seats again. Great first step!

To promote 5-7 years to flow, well the facts do not support it. 1200-1500 pilots, and 5 flows a month, all the attrition in the world does not make that work. It's a vicious circle that has to be broken. PSA can't maintain the FO ranks because it is used as a "stepping stone". Upgrades are based on the FO ranks filled. At the current rate of 5 per month, the career expectations are much greater than 5-7 years. PSA does not support the "build it they will come" concept. At 10 flows per month, a true 5-7 year flow would exist. FO attrition would decrease, more Captains would upgrade, more new hires would come, especially since the money as been improved. Until PSA corrects the flat flow, the stepping stone concept will prevail.