Experience over several industry cylces show that they always go down with the prerequisits if they don't find the right people. That's true not only for the agencies and their respective airlines behind, but also for "normal" airlines that select, hire and train their own people.
As I can tell from my own experience: It was always difficult to get the job, even if only a few hours were missing. Agencies have the order from the airlines to recruit exactly that level of experience, and they are not free to negotiate about that.
The bigger problem behind is the thinking of (mostly Asian) carriers who think that it is hours on type that counts, instead of looking for the right caracter of a human being. If they would, their problems would have been solved longtime ago. Since they don't change, there is always a job for the contractors. Good for them (I'm one of them).
On the other hand I find it very bizare for the agencies that they are not willing to find ways to get people the right experience themselves: If a guy comes and he is missing a hundred hours on type, they certainly could find him an airline to buy the missing hours, and then have him as a valuable asset for an upcoming contract. I'm sure they would make profit. I personally was in talks with several agencies and they wouldn't want to do that. That's how it is.
Dani
Last edited by Dani; 26th August 2010 at 19:26.