Some interesting points ROJ APPROVED and I agree with the basic thrust of your post.
Except these points...
Hell even Network are struggling to crew the shiny QF painted A320’s.
Pretty ease to crew it since it is a seagull at present.
have a look at what’s been going on in Cathay and the big US airlines, Norwegian, Ryan Air etc.
Well Ryan Air, or Mr O more specifically had to eat a big slice of humble pie and increase pilot pay.
In the US I understand there are bonuses now and also I keep seeing ads everywhere for the E3 visas trying to coax Australians to the US.
https://www.casa.gov.au/sites/g/file...f?v=1508473632
Page 3 on the above link shows the number of each type of pilot licence issued and held.
The highlight is that numbers seem to have stabilised after falling off a cliff about ten years ago but still declining.
In 2013/14 annual report CASA said they issued 533 ATPLs in the 2016/17 report they issued 190. Bloody big drop.
In 2013/14 there were 7,287 ATPL holders in 2016/17 there were 7240. A modest drop.
Have a read.