Pilot Shortage my a$$.
There are experienced jet Captains out of work, but cannot get a job because they are not rated on a particular aircraft. Nobody is willing to train you on a new type now.
The only positions available are shocking pay and conditions, plus pay $40,000 to get a job,
or go and live in Africa, Saudia Arabia, or China with little chance of ever getting a reasonably paid job with reasonable working conditions back in your home country.
I would never become an airline pilot now knowing what the pay and conditions are now and the fact I will likely have to live overseas until I retire.
Qantas may be short staffed now, but they are about to lay off pilots and recruit others in NZ or SIN on ****e salaries to replace them, albeit with a subsidiary airline.
Meanwhile ceos are giving themselves 2 million a year pay rises.
Who in there right mind would spend the huge $$ to train to be a pilot now, knowing you will have to shell out another $20,000-$60,000 later to get a job with a LLC and then more money later should you wish to change airlines (eg; to change basing, seek higher salary etc).
Contractors, tradesman, builders, etc, earn a much better wage than most pilots now, yet they dont work shift work and can get a job in any city they wish.
Last edited by Mr Pilot 2007; 29th Sep 2011 at 08:23.