We work in a cyclical industry which is a bit like a game of 'Musical Chairs'. The name of the game is to be on the strongest chair when the music stops, and that is the hard bit. A few years ago people were rushing to Monarch, only to see it come to the brink of ruin and deposit loads of good people on the street. That said, I believe most are back in the saddle somewhere or other and I hope they are doing well. The shortage of captains at places like easyJet and Ryanair is related to the difficulties of getting the sheer numbers required through the various training systems. DECs can be a help with that as they often require a couple less sim sessions than would otherwise be the case. There is not an infinite supply of qualified and capable A320 and B737NG captains roaming around looking for jobs, so from that point of view it is a good time to be looking to return to the UK from the desert etc. The downside is that not all those jobs are in parts of Europe everyone wants to work. It should also be said that there has always been an infinite supply of keen, young and inexperienced pilots who will sell their souls to get that first job. Given that situation, it should hardly come as a surprise to anyone in that First Officer pay scales are diabolical. Supply and demand is a great thing when you are the one in demand but when you are not it is a very hard world out there.