So what’s the bottom line? That pay and benefits will rise to get more pilots in there if needed?
It shocks me a bit to see some of these pilots earn less than someone working in an office in a file clerk / hired help type job.
I think by a small amount. It's a stubborn number: the carriers aren't really viable if they do raise wages. The large number of regionals now is entirely a product of too many willing workers at too low wages. And the EAS program (Essential Air Service), which is being phased out.
One exception has been SkyWest, which actually has decent pay for its long time employees. They keep their MRO costs down and operate from the cheapest places in America: St. George, Tucson, etc.
And they have very sensible fiscal practices.
But they're the exception.