Deregulation of the Airlines
While deregulation has had the positive impact of lowering fares, allowing the general public to fly farther and more frequently than ever before, it has also had a downside. Since 1978, the airline industry has been extremely volatile, with consolidations, buyouts, mergers, and bankruptcies becoming almost everyday occurrences.
With these rapid changes in the industry, sometimes it can be difficult just to keep track of which airlines are still in business. The global economic recession in 2009 had a significant effect on the industry as well. The combination of higher fuel costs and fewer passengers meant decreased revenues for carriers in the United States and in other nations.
These events have led to quality concerns with particular airlines and within the industry as a whole.
Despite these problems, however, hiring within the industry has not stopped. Many low-cost smaller airlines and cargo carriers have stepped in to fill the hiring gap. Hiring in the industry is expected to increase to the year 2018, especially for flight attendants, pilots, and flight engineers, while opportunities for aircraft mechanics and service technicians are expected to decline over the same period.
