Originally Posted by
FriendlyPilot
United just converted 48 MAX-10 deliveries scheduled for 2026 to MAX-9s and the 737 training department was told to get ready to ramp up training. This is on top of all the other deliveries. Estimate pilot hiring for 2026 now around 2,680 pilots per the training department. Here come the unfilled Captain bids again.
I like your optimism, but pilot hiring estimates are just that -- rough estimates that are usually quite a bit higher than reality. I absolutely do not see unfilled CA spots ever again. Mainly because there are thousands of senior FOs who didn't upgrade and are now flying with 26 year old CAs with the bare minimum flight time required to occupy that seat. Fly a few of those trips (I just did one) and that will be enough to convince the laziest FO to upgrade.