"You get what you pay for."
Not sure what point you're trying to make, given that the pay at JetBlue is a great deal less than a CX LEP SO. Now, compare what a QL'd LEP makes - let's pretend they're competitive for JB at that time.
You get the picture.
As mentioned, it's nothing more than a symptom of an industry that's been stagnant for 15 years. JB is, sadly, a stepping stone airline; one-up from flying for a regional.
The pay at the US legacy carriers may be pretty good (until the next downturn), but the competitive experience levels have always been through the roof. Generally, far higher than CX DEFO. Were you moaning about real-world hiring standards back then?