1ºHere is reality folks.
-- Airlines have known literally for decades when they would start losing the baby boomer pilots. They know all their ages after all. Yet they did nothing.
-- Airlines have known for over two decades that the DOD cut their pilot pipeline in half back when the cold war ended in the 90's so there would not be this endless excess of pilots with thousands of hours of flight time getting out of the military because they were excess to need. The miilitary was doing just in time delivery of their own it seems.
-- Airlines have known for decades that their regional feeder airlines were not going to produce enough cross over pilots.
--United and I think it is Alaska Airlines only in the last few years began their own training program but that is over a decade too late.
-- Airlines took COVID payments and did= not keep pilots and other staff on the books by paying them but actually paid them to retire EARLY. Oh and to buy back stock and pay senior executives huge bonuses.
-- Airlines have massive software programs that run the expected flight conditions every day. They know if there will be pilot shortages, weather impacts, etc. Nevertheless they are flights on the books despite knowing full well they won't be able to full fill those needs. What they are doing is keeping those ticket sales and only offering credits in exchange.....knowing quite well that many will not be used in time.

So what exactly are you folks expecting the Sec of Transportation to do? There is nothing he can do. This is all on the Airlines and your anger is misplaced.

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