Reality Check
Good Morning All
I honestly do not wish to sound like the harbinger of doom and gloom but I honestly feel that talk of a sustained recovery is premature, airlines are still in deep trouble.
Air Southwest in Plymouth have been up for sale since May, the only interetsed party seems to be Eastern airlines who will trim workforce and routes if they get the airline. The company that owns Southwest (Sutton Harbour Holdings) also own Plymouth Airport, currently the airport is not up for sale but Sutton Harbour recently sold some of the airport land to a property developer. If the sale to Eastern doesn't happen Plymouth may lose more than an airline it might lose the airport to housing.
Aer Arann in Ireland have entered 'examinership' which is a process where the Irish government protects the company from its creditors for up to 70 days. The airline are seeking new investors to allow it to 'restructure and reposition.' Such words normally only mean one thing - job losses so even if someone does come up with enough money to stop the airline folding there will still be more pilots on the dole.
Several experienced pilots (WWW for instance) have written on these pages in the past that hard times are still ahead and that airlines will fold during the Winter, it seems that they were correct.
I hope that I am wrong (wouldn't be the first time) as I'm a low hours bloke currently working in engineering to keep some money coming in. For people like me who qualified when the recession started to bite theres not a lot we can do but I would not advise anyone to start training at the moment and definitely steer clear of integrated courses especially if you have to give up paid employment to get onto the course.
Again apologies for the gloom but thats how it is right now, sincere best wishes and good luck to all those seeking flying work at the moment (as long as you don't get a job before I do!!!!)
MM