If only, Roger...
I think it has to be stated that the 'prestige' you spoke of stemmed largely from the money that used to be available in the industry. All that glamour wears thin after a while (and that's true of ANY job). Sometimes it takes longer for the gloss to wear off, but it inevitably does. What are you left with, then? The T&C's.
Some jobs interest people because they get good money, because they get good benefits, because they love the work. Some jobs in aviation used to have all 3. But if there are none of those things- what is going to generate that prestige?