Wx Man,
Well said!
In a world run by beanstealers, many airlines aren't interested in ability or experience but by cost... And like other industries, the 'onion continues to be peeled' and the 'cheese slices lined up' by ignorant management/accountants who don't possess basic business acumen. A safe airline is a profitable airline and a happy workforce is a productive workforce. Something lost on the corporates that cannot understand anything unless it's displayed in a pie chart...
An excellent reputatation and customer service means passengers would return every time. Someone once said that it takes a lifetime to build a good reputation and two seconds to destroy it - or words to that effect. Unfortuneatly, with the increasing number of incidents that we are seeing amongst the UK low cost carriers, I fear that we're almost reaching the 'Colgan point'...
If anyone thinks otherwise, they're highly naive.
With respect to employment, it's about access to cold hard cash and for the immediate future it shall remain so. I don't believe this is forever, but for the next few years those with the pennies will be those getting the jobs. That's the reality - suck it up and make the best of your situation.
Good luck!
