MAS Guy,
There are a few reasons why they don't go back...
1. They got enemies back home they want to avoid
2. They probably already moved their families to Malaysia and the wife doesn't want to go back to Indo
3. They enjoy where they are...
4. Maybe the pay here isn't enough.
The shortage is of multiple factors...
1. Salaries aren't high enough, despite them rising all the time.
2. The "global/regional shortage" is attracting huge incomes outside Indonesia...
3. There aren't enough flying schools to cater for the demand
4. The flying schools are too expensive
5. The airlines are putting hideously punitive bond conditions to try and prevent them from leaving, and this discourages people from going back.
And the guys at MASwings, if they want to go back, need to get into a punitive bond to get jetrated... The guys at MAS aren't going back yet... if they're like the other guys at other airlines, they're adopting a "wait and see" stance.
Lion Air can't take more 739ERs coz they haven't got enough crew for them.
Airlines are reluctant to increase salaries, a 737 Captain's salary is already the equivalent of a medium enterprise CEO, if not more.
Someone's gotta give in the salary squeeze... it'll be the airlines... and even then, there'll be a shortage unless someone wants to pay a 737 captain the intl rate of a widebody captain! *Which will result in a looooong wait!*