Does anyone actually know how many (or what percentage) of new hires had less then 1500 hours? Less than 1000 hours? Yes there were absolutely people hired with less than 500 hours but in my opinion these were an extremely small minority.

And considering the overall safety record for the past few years and considering the fact that even the lowest time newhires probably have ATP min hours by now, I'd say the airlines' gamble paid off.

Don't forget that all the newhires had to get through training. Granted training demands can vary greatly, but ultimately the FAA signs off on each training program. The weakest pilots were weeded out then or during the probation rides.

There are plenty of people willing to work for the salaries paid by the airlines right now. If the FAA mandates higher minimums then all that will happen is programs like GIA or ATP will develop pay-for-training deals- only $99,000 0 hrs-ATP!!!!

Part of the responsibilty is with potential newhires. It is up to you to decide who you are going to work for. I was always taught that you want to work for the best company you possibly can. Not the fastest upgrade, not the shiniest biggest airplane, etc. Maybe that requires some waiting until you meet the minimums there. If you work for a crappy airline you should expect crappy QOL, pay, furlough, etc. Don't whine about it.

The other part of the responsibilty is on passengers. You get what you pay for. If you want the cheapest ticket then you will get the lowest bidding airline. Until people figure this out and change their behavior airlines will keep trying to cut costs (and corners) to stay competitive.