Cheap Flights & pilot shortage, Dail Telegraph 27 March

[wiggy]

Is the shortage finally hurting the operators? clink on this link, from Todays Daily Telegraph

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/mai...27/cnair27.xml

[ETOPS]

Wonder where they got their figures from? 2400 "registered pilots" in 2004/5 looks to be about 10,000 too few............

[Robssupra]

WIGGY WIGGY WIGGY ............

Don't believe what you read in newspapers mate.

Have you been to the unemployment office lately? I bet you 20% of the people you see in your unemployment offices, this days, are pilots.
The market is flooded with pilots, although it seams to be slowing down on these 200 hour pilots prepared to invest in their future by coughing up another &20,000 on top of their previous loan to purchasing that right seat, the airlines seam to be trying to fill.
Airlines are cutting cost any way they can and if the pilots are the way to do so, than that is exactly what they will continue doing. Management are there for one thing and one thing only, to look after themselves and surely not you and me.
So again don't believe what the media decides to stick in their newspaper.

Safe skies.

[Piltdown Man]

Robssupra - I think your persective is one from the other end of the planet. There are certainly people waiting for jobs in the UK but nowhere near the plague proportions of downunder. If you don't have a job it always seems like nothing is happening and never will. I know, I've been there. But the majority of wannabees will get a job, eventually. Fortunately, the airline marketing people are doing us a favour by selling seats on flights which are un-crewed. They have to! To add to the problem, the likes of FR and EZ have ordered/optioned loads planes which they have to operate - with crews who haven't been employed yet! Just as soon as the ops and crew planning people twig this, the fun will start. And when it does, I give it two years before it all falls over again (like in 1989).

[Human Factor]

Hmmm. Supply and demand. Shortage of supply usually makes the price go up.

Now, why do BA want to reduce their pilot's terms and conditions?

[Brae_Cwynd]

Double hmmmm,

Where do the newspapers get their facts? BALPA has approximately 8500 members most of whom are professional pilots in employment. British Airways has in the order of 3,000 alone.

BC

[BusyB]

Storm Aviation seems to have an "In" with the press. I've just listened to a Capt KL from Storm supposedly speaking of no shortage on R5live. All stories seem to ignore the worldwide shortage of experienced pilots and the lack of encouragement, by pay and conditions, for them to stay on. No wonder they are getting short and expat packages are starting to improve.

[RVR800]

OH NO

Yes its not a shortage of pilots its a realisation that type rated pilots dont grow on trees and that the "cash strapped" airlines they may have to SPEND SOME OF THEIR OWN MONEY!!

On type ratings etc...

Any pilot shortage is likely to most affect airlines with more pilot departures than arrivals who are regarded by the pilot comminity as a tad greedy, those that are not cash rich may suffer the consequences...

[EGBKFLYER]

See also the discussion in the Jobs etc Forum.

Always makes me deeply suspicious when the article quotes someone connected with an SSTR establishment hollering about the lack of pilots

If there's such a shortage, why aren't people getting my CV beating a path to my door? Exactly.

[RVR800]

Good Business Practice

The storm website says

"Under the leadership of Captain Keith Longden and through strong emphasis on quality Storm Aviation has quickly established itself as a leading Airbus TRTO"

.. good marketing and use of the media to ramp up the business in a strong market for trained pilots

[Riverboat]

This story is a Storm in a teacup.

[BOAC]

Well informed sources tell me that just 3 UK airlines, EJ, Virgin and BA are looking for 800 between them at the moment.

[Curious Pax]

Presumably Ryanair can be added to that list (if you term it "airlines with their main place of operations in the UK"). The last 2 737-800s they had delivered are reported as parked up at Prestwick at present (one for around a fortnight), and another 2 are en route from Boeing as I type. Presumably they will all need crew - and not forgetting the other 100 or so due over the next few years.

[sky9]

It will be interesting to see what happens on April 1st when the Ryanair pilots hours are zeroed for another year. How many subcharters will there be and how many aircraft will sit unused do to lack of pilots?

[smith]

Anyone got a feeling that the current increase in air travel will become a victim of its own success and the whole system will implode on itsself? The Eirjet plane only had 40ish pax, bmi figures down, flybe regularly cancelling flights etc etc etc.

Is the market sustainable as it is, or even growing as predicted. I can see a boom and bust situation developing.

[Dream Buster]

Smithy,

Well said!

When a Lo Co finally goes bust, as in fatally busting some passengers lives, can we expect the CEO's to be put in gaol for a few years?

Seriously, this is the bottom line. There is plenty of evidence stacking up.

[Turn and Burn]

Sorry to spoil your dream, but the evidence from the US, as published recently in Flight, indicates that the LoCos are safer than the 'Majors'. Maybe it is because they are more profitable and have money to spare for those little extras.

[Hand Solo]

Is that why Southwest keep going off the runway?

[Pontious]

I just hope the UK and EU's airlines DON'T get so desperate that they have to resort to employing vast swarms of whinging Aussies, when they are all so welcoming(NOT!) to non-Aussie nationals applying for flying jobs on their turf!!

[fortuna76]

According to the article BA, EJ and FR are desperately looking for pilots.....

BA is not hiring at the moment (called them today)

Ryanair is still asking 50 GBP to register on their website

Easyjet is still only doing the TRSS

Doesnīt sound that desperate to me I have to say.
This article is fiction! (or maybe a wannabee pilotīs dream).