Originally Posted by
bafanguy
PPSS,
Not being an expert, all I can offer is an opinion with which there will certainly be disagreement: I'm always skeptical when these airlines claim "pilot shortage" as a reason of poor financial/operational performance by the company. Maybe it is...maybe it's a cover for bad management. Republic was once bankrupt claiming pilot shortage as the reason (excuse). Look at them now.
I hold the same skepticism about the TSA case. Time will tell. I offer the following excerpts from the TSA memo posted above:
From the first page of that TSA memo:
“Last year was an exceptionally challenging financial year and early indications point to 2020 continuing down the same path.
“…we are facing a captain shortage (not "pilot" shortage) that will result in an inability to meet our increased productivity objectives and even our current contractual flying obligations.”
“The imbalance between Captains and First Officers is so extreme…”
Notice they didn't say "pilot" shortage. They've apparently got plenty of F/Os. It may be that lots of them don't have the 1,000 hours Part 121 time for upgrade but this is a time issue...not a supply issue. It may be that what the company offered in terms of pay, etc. wasn't enough to attract DECs in any numbers. These are management issues including manipulation by the regional mainline overlords and not industry issues.
Are the regionals that offer more attractive Ts & Cs having trouble recruiting/upgrading people ? Are other regionals closing the doors for lack of pilots ? I say the whole issue is much more complex that a simple pilot shortage.
So, I say get Up Here and get some of this if you have no better options Down There. Dumping the TSA pilots in the street may make it more difficult for new E3 applicants for a while but give it a try...even if you have to go to PDT.
And as for life here, you won't be shot and killed. I've lived here for 70+ years and haven't even had a gun pointed at me nor do I know anyone who has.
Best of luck to you.
TSA has been known to take on aircraft and flying only to do a crappy job of it, only to lose the aircraft and flying shortly down the road.
Basically they say yes to everything and then try work out how to make it work after the fact. It happened with their AA flying that they ended up losing, and now the same thing with their UA flying.
The company blames the pilot shortage, which is true to some degree, but ultimately it’s bad management. They bit off more than they can chew, and couldn’t back it up with staffing, maintenance etc.