I'll take it in on - on Fattys behalf.
Returning is not on for everyone, the biggest discriminator amongst my LHS mid 40's colleagues is age. Just don't want to uproot Fam from a good school as they are closer to college than the 30's FOs kids or single dudes. We also enjoy our life and friends here.
My buddy made $202k (green slippin') last year as a 7 yr FO MD88 ATL at Big D. He's in his 30s and cannot even comprehend some of the stuff I tell him - steely wheelies, monthly hours, Flt ops culture etc.
That said he understands that wide body command is perhaps more valuable than we give it credit. Times change quickly for the worse as we have seen over the years. This is perhaps the most dangerous geo-politically it has felt since 9-11. They will change again. Nigeria just declared a state of emergency - Ebola could get VERY nasty. I remember SARS, wasn't pretty and it directly affected my career.
For my generation, not near as many going back as alluded to. We know the devil we're dealing with, kids wife content, money going in the bank - to the young whippers like Eldee...
A no brainer.
f.