Seriously, a half year gap in hiring two years ago followed by a systemwide inability to get new trainees through the sims in a timely manner last Spring? Combine that with a lot of Captains moving up to the majors? What did anyone expect would happen?

This was totally predictable. Last year’s FO shortage has become this year’s Captain shortage.

And it’s going to be godawful by the end of the summer and into the Fall unless serious efforts are made to get upgrade eligible FOs upgrading and near upgrade-eligible FOs flying their butts off to become eligible.

Either that or go recruit a bunch of street captains.