Originally Posted by Bear96

Not sure why the airline industry and employees should continue to get such special treatment. They already got six months (which I was more or less OK with). The airlines themselves are saying it will take years for ridership to get back to pre-Covid levels. If the airline industry has changed long-term or "permanently" (whatever that means in a constantly-changing industry), I don't see why public money should be used indefinitely to keep propping it up. At some point they will have to adjust.

Yes it sucks for the employees, but a lot of industries are in bad shape and the employ constituents too. I am all for enhanced unemployment benefits for awhile until Covid-related job losses ease, but they should be able to all employees who lost their jobs or suffered a Covid-related work reduction. I just don't see the public policy reason for the special treatment of airline employees.

I get that pilots need current skills but the airlines will have some lead time to recognize they need to add more flights and it will more than likely be a gradual buildup. A week or two (max) of refresher training and currency flights when that starts should be all that is needed.