This quote jumps out of the Vanity Fair article. “A senior executive at Airbus mentioned to me that in Britain and the United States the elites do not become airline pilots, whereas in France, as in less developed countries, they still do”
I’m not sure I’d agree that the job and (lack of) status of being an airline pilot nowadays attracts the “elite” , (however defined) to the job. I would also extend that to senior management and Directors too, sadly. The airline industry doesn’t attract the innovators or deep thinkers . I guess there are easier and more bucks to be had elsewhere.