minger. you are closest to the truth. Much of the rumour mill is 99% bulls***t. No one; repeat, no one has been FORCED to take unpaid leave. That may have been an option, but is not mandatory. Because of the general shortage of pilots in the past year or so, leave has been hard to get. Now there is a large backlog owing, things are slowing down, so why not take it where you can to help out.