Originally Posted by
gloopy
You mean the exact same applicants at every other competitive airline.
That pool (that everyone shares) can only withstand so many of the various depleting factors. Lower mil output, fewer regional pilots due to up-gauging, 6 figure college costs, 6 figure flight school costs, a depleted GA infrastructure always trying to fight off disastrous European style user fees etc, significant retirements still ahead, etc. Regionals have quietly gone from minimum wage and pay for training to 5 figure+ bonus schemes just to keep classes full. One AA regional is even offering 150K bonus packages according to APC.
In any case the degree requirement is extremely low hanging fruit ripe for the picking as fast as it takes to write a single memo. That instantly shaves off 100-200K+ off the cost of entry. Many airlines already don't require it. Even if its "preferred" most have it by default so it takes a while to see the shift. More pilots are getting hired without it. Possibly even at DL depending on top secret "vault letters" and all that.
Maybe by then flight schools will be charging a million bucks lol who knows.
I don’t disagree with a lot of the things you said, but if you’re going into debt $100-200k for a four year degree you’re doing it all wrong. There’s the military, both active and reserves that pay for college. There’s thousands of scholarships that go infilled every year because people fail to do the leg work to find them. Work-study. Actual work. Community college. In-state vs out/private. Hell, even most high schools now have dual enrollment to start getting credits toward degree requirements. Forgoing room and board and staying in an apartment with roommates and learning how to cook for yourself. A degree (and a useful one at that) can be had with a little ground work and research for under $50k or less. People just don’t want to find ways to do it. It seems it’s become easier to just sign on a loan that you’re now tied to for 25 years. Doesn’t help that money or financial classes aren’t taught anywhere in America for students in high school. Should be a prerequisite to graduation if you ask me…