Guvnor,
I never said I was being optomistic, in fact ask the guys on my course who the Doom Meister is
From what I can gather a majority of the BA pilots were due to be retired this year anyway as was the phasing out of the 747 Classic fleets. Some of the Gill pilots have, as far as I am aware, not sat back and waited for a job to come looking for them and are looking at setting up their own air operation. There is more to the world than just trans Atlantic traffic. I have also heard that companies like DHL are seeing an increase in business. Frieght still has to be moved, businessmen still need to have face to face meetings, families still want to see each other. Until someone develops a teleporter,aviation will continue to be an important part of peoples lives.
The world is slightly different this time than in 1990/1 in so much as Europe is not so heavily linked to the US economy anymore, and that fact alone may just save a few companies. The price of oil has dropped, unemployment figures are not very high at the moment and interest rates are ridiculously low. I am not an economist but I dont think we are in for a monster recession. It may take time for the US to get over this tragedy but time heals all wounds, and then we will see how the land lies. Until then we should be pragmatic and stop all this doom mongering, get a life and take each day as it comes.
Chicken of despair? I am the bluebird of happiness....