Concerned pilots say deregulation has undermined their work

There was a golden age in commercial aviation when carriers opened the cockpit doors to those seeking a life in the skies – cadet programmes offered full training and a near-guarantee of a secure, lucrative and even glamorous future. Much has changed. Today, concerned pilots say, their work has been sharply undermined by deregulation. As the skies broadened to fleets of low-cost airlines and pilot numbers grew, employment conditions began to change. While many are still in secure well-paid jobs, young would-be pilots are increasingly worried about finding work after laying out enormous training fees. Some pay money to gain flight experience in commercial planes, while others sit in terminals on zero-hour contracts. <br/>