Cxorcist, you are living in denial. Safety is not an issue anymore but at some obscure third world carrier or LCC that expanded too quickly. The statistics don't lie. The customer is not interested anymore who sits at the wheel, don't shoot the messenger, just the facts. And absolutely nobody, really literally nobody, cares about a 747 freighter crew. You would not even make the news. Yes, an ex-military fast jet pilot is probably in certain remote situations better equipped to make the day. I give you that. I probably would not have been capable of doing a Sully. But the fact is that those situations are too rare to be of relevance. Automatics work just fine,and if they don't in your stormy night scenario I go around and divert.I don't have a problem with admitting a weather situation is too hairy for me, something an ex-carrier landing maverick might find a bit more difficult. You will find my mark on the right hand side of the monthly fuel statistic (I assume, I delete the mail unopened).
Additionally, we will see if there is really an exodus of experience. You and I are still here after all, and I have a feeling Piet is hanging in as well . If the conditions elsewhere are not better, giving up your seniority and LHS is a tough call. Easy to claim one would should could do on pprune, much harder in real life. Singapore, Emirates etc all had no issue attracting enough pilots over the last years, and we are now simply down to their level. The market forces are against us, that is the sad truth.