A mate of mine (stood down A380 F/O) gave me a call the other day. “Krusty, you know how people refer to us as glorified bus drivers, well now I’m a real one”. Apparently the company he’s now working for has taken on a few stood down Long haul drivers.
Probably not what we envisioned as the final years leading up to retirement, but at least it gives a purpose to getting up in the morning.
I think pilots in their 30’s/40’s who have had everything ripped away after finally starting to see the fruits of many years of climbing the ladder, will have the greatest challenges.