I agree with most of what is being said here about the cost of training for new pilots. But one of the biggest reasons for shortages of pilots is the lack of commonality between licensing jusrisdictions i.e. FAA and EASA.
It's a nonsense and the Unions would be better off forming large, co-ordinated pressure groups to have a licensing standard accepted for worldwide common licensing rather than parochially protecting their own parishoners.
Then, of course, we would have a glut of pilots on the market and rates of pay - already depressed - would be pushed even lower, sigh.
