Absolutely... how many already went out of business.... the rest have had to increase pay and working conditions. The bottom feeders only do it just enough to keep meat in the seats. The better ones are equally screwed since the LCC’s and majors have sucked up theirs captains and even their senior FO’s, leaving FO’s that can’t upgrade, causing hiring of street captains at several regionals such that the training centers of the better ones are flat out just with upgrades trying to keep captains around.

Shortage? You better believe it. But it’s still only due to not offering real compensation and bonuses only. Increase actual pay and many will return to flying from their other careers. Guys making $100k elsewhere and home everyday aren’t going to go live in a crashpad and out of a suitcase for $50k-$60k, only to upgrade to a $75k to $90k CA job putting them back in a crashpad again. Face it, management has destroyed the quality of life, and stripped away the compensation over the past 40 years to the point that very very few want the job anymore. The current shortage is due to pay and QOL. In just a few more years it will become an actual physical shortage since there aren’t enough new starts to keep a good supply coming. Again, due to management making the job unattractive.