Exciting news indeed. I am just starting out on the PPL route with a dream of flying and I hoping that my age won't be against me (eek 43!).
I read the comments by a Very Civil Pilot and noted,
"... with recession, 'credit crunch' and an economic downturn on the way, predicted airline exansion is likely to slow down. There will probably be redundancies in the airline world over the next few years."
However I am far more optimistic due to the impending 2012 Olympics and the vast number of pilots that are due to retire during the next 5 years from some major airlines.
Good luck to all those who are dreaming and remember you need to take action to make those dreams a reality!