Jet Operators that you WON'T be joining??
I'm sorry if this appears to be doom and gloom mongering, if there is such a thing? I was having an interesting chat to a colleague in the cruise today (experienced Captain with 20+ years in the industry) regarding recruitment. We both discussed how we had noticed a small degree of revival in the market in the last 6-8 months, however we also certainly came to the agreement that it wasn't anything much to get excited by! The conversation led to how jet operators (largely UK specific) would eventually decide to recruit. My Captain colleague suggested that the majority would ignore the traditional tried and tested method. He was adamant that self improvement was now dead and buried, and with the age of PTF, SSTR and temporary cadetships upon us, a lot of experienced guys (whether they be instructors, corporate/air taxi, TP or regional jet operators) would be left behind. He even suggested that guys with a few thousand hours on 737s or A320s would now struggle to make the jump between two similar operators. Those seeking better T&Cs, a new challenge, or a base closer to home would fall short to cheaper cadets or those employed on temporary contracts.
I said there would always be exceptions; BA and Virgin certainly. However outside our two legacy carriers he was pretty adamant that the vast majority of others would subscribe to his particular line of thought?
I would be interested to hear what everyone else felt regarding the issue?