Airlines in trouble

[Day]

Air Asia looks in serious trouble along with the rest of Thai airlines.

The government needs to get behind them or they are going to have no industry left.

Info I am a retired airline pilot if anyone has any aviation questions 

[Pongo]

Hi Day

It would be interesting to hear your thoughts on how long you think it'll take the industry to recover from the Pandemic, along with the difficulties newly qualified Pilots , or those seeking a career as Flight Crew might face when several Airlines have reduced their fleets, so perhaps need fewer Pilots.

Cheers :)

[Day]

Hi Pongo

the only place in the world for the next at least 5 years probably more is the USA. However unless you are American even in the good years no green cards for pilots.

This even in the good days for a pilot was a very difficult profession to break into!

Newly  qualified now no hope. There are massive numbers of highly experienced pilots worldwide out of work. Quantas laid off a load more today.The big boys in Europe like BA ,Ryanair,Easyjet to name a few are operating at a fraction of their previous capacity.

Cheers

[Pongo]

Thanks for the reply @Day - if it is going to be such a timeframe, could it be that 5 years in the future there may develop a situation whereby there is an actual shortage of Pilots, as retirements, alternative career choices taken by those whom have lost their jobs, no incentives along with low chances of employment discourage people from entering the industry at this time?.

Could the same apply to Cabin Crew? - although quicker to train, perhaps this pandemic has discouraged some from following that career path.

The very idea that the Airline Industry would effectively operate at such a small capacity worldwide 2 years ago would have been preposterous. Entire fleets grounded, A380's being decommissioned early, cancelled orders, Pilots and crew laid off and billions being paid to support the industry from collapsing in on itself was unthinkable.

We live in crazy times.

[Day]

Pongo

The only part of the industry that has survived relatively intact is freight,but this is a relatively small part of the worldwide fleet.If they need aircrew thousands to choose from.

We’re you in the industry or know someone who wants to be a pilot?

Until we can deal with this damned virus and people can be persuaded to travel again in their masses I reckon the industry will be on its knees for years.

For interest the last type I flew before retirement was the 737-800.The  model that was superseded by by the now infamous Max 8.