"The 20,000-plus applicants include 1100 pilots - 200 with Airbus A320 command experience..?
The truth is MANY of the 1100 will not have even the minimum requirements, but apply in the hope that there might not be enough qualififed applicants.
Of the 200 with A320 command experience, how many qualify for Australian residence - there will be a percentage who do not.
Precisely what is Alan Joyce's definition of "command experience", I wonder? An A320 rating? P1US time logged by F/O's?
Turn the spin doctoring around 180 degrees, and think what the result might be if Alan Joyce were to say something such as, "Jet Star are having problems attracting suitable numbers of qualified crew."
Currently Silk Air in Singapore are LOSING many of their A320 pilots, as they leave for better remunerated jobs, and consequently Silk Air are now RECRUITING...there are 2 interview dates this month alone.
But they are not getting the response they were hoping for.
This year, imo, is going to see a BIG demand for pilots (yes, I realise there are 5,000 odd out of work in the US, but most don't want to leave there) as the Baby Boomer generation enter their retirement years.
It is going to be up to the employers to offer employment conditions that will attract pilots away from current jobs, and KEEP those they have - because if they lose them it might be a long time before replacements are found.
[Case in point: the airline I currently work for, within the past week, interviewed 30 pilots for F/O positions, and advised 16 of them that they were successful. Of the 16, 2 REJECTED the job offer to accept employment with other airlines also recruiting...Skymark and Air Do)]