Another problem created by our government..  In our best interest of course.

Back in 2013, the gov decided 250 hours was not enough for an entry level pilot and raised the bar to 1500. This was in response to an accident involving pilots with far more that 1500 hours, so go figger.

It's expensive to get those hours and it pushed all but the best financed and most devoted out of the market.  Most pilots get their hours as flight instructors for exteremely low pay.

There are other factors.  During the covid slowdown, Airlines offering early retirement to their most qualified pilots is probably most notable.  But the lack of new pilots entering the market is easily the root cause.

Thanks joj and Tim!

I'm going to pick this up beyond the pilot deficiency. It is part and parcel to the problems we were led into.

Things were great before the imposed plandemic. Our country was becoming more prosperous than it had been in 3 decades. Energy independent. Actual unemployment at 50 year lows. Corporations moving production facilities back to the US. The middle class making a really good living, with the minor class being able to live well. 

But since the day the plandemic was announced to have hit the US, things have gone to hell. Especially with the shutdown of our country's essential supply lines. Both in labor and production/distribution.

And then came welfare for all. In the form of unemployment for all. And the  additional "stimulus payments". Congress has approve so much generous spending, that our country is now bankrupt. But keep them presses rolling! 

Energy prices have been on the increase since the 2020 election. Because they knew the real policies of the incoming administration. But that's not all. ("Wait! There's more!) It's also had a disastrerous affect on the rest of our industries. And inflation has reached an all time high, even though the government numbers play it down. But the people are feeling it at the pump, the grocery store, the department store, etc., way beyond what the current government is trying to convince them of.

It will take more than a decade to sort this out. Maybe even longer. If ever. People aren't the same anymore. They have expectations that they believe they deserve to be met. No  matter the cost. And because of that, it's going to get a lot worse before better can even be considered to becomee better. The airline industry is only one faction to be hit by the culmination of all this. If you voted democommunist, you asked for this.

Mark B echoes many of my thoughts.

 In a two year period, the world's demographics have changed drastically enough to cause world disruptions to the degree we experience? Really?  Or rather, are STILL experiencing?  Really ?

 Sure ,some employees have retired early but most families still need to eat and gov assistance isn't providing enough ,in my opinion (and its an opinion only), to allow a large portion of the work force to forgo the task of working.

Dont all those former truck drivers still have to provide for their families ,to put it in general terms. C'mon.

  John

I recall feeling the same about this climate change scare.

Overnight (6 months) the rhetoric on the planet's doom reached a fevered pitch.

This was 10-15 yrears ago maybe?

Well , climate doesn't change to that degree overnight and neither does a countrie's or the world's ,for that matter, demographic.

 Agendas agendas - I smell a rat.

  John