MIN There will be a redefinition of well qualifed. UAL/DAL/etc, even NWA will have lots of pilots to chose from but the average of the qualifications will continue to decline. But they will get the best pilots available.
Yeah its not like we have a war with XXX thousands of pilots humping missions to and from the sandbox. I know alot of C-17 four engine glass cockpit transport ocean crossers who are sitting around at home and not getting anytime. Just bored to death. Can barely maintain currency.
Nor do we have 250 hour wonder-boys pipelined straight into glass RJ's, and fly nothing but the airline environment, and then apply to work at a Major.
For those in corporate aviation, nobody is flying HUD equipped globe trotting Jet-A equipment, its all Queen Air's and similar corporate stuff. Also some piston Twin Commanders. Nobody goes to Level-D sims every 6 months, put on by Simuflite or Flightsafety, receiving the highest quality sim training in the world.
Just like in past history, today's corporate fleet is light years behind the "airline equipment" flown at the majors.
Futhermore, today's applicant has been surfing the internet since age 10, and can learn how to program a GPS with ease, being tech-savvy from an early age.
Sure looks like the average of qualifications is sure to decline....