Not entirely true. As a former airline employee, I can tell you that one of the issues is when the pandemic started, and airlines weren't/barely flying instead of layoffs they offered early retirement which many took. It had nothing to do with vaccinations at that point. Also, many planes were "housed" for a long period of time. Bringing them back into service is not an overnight process. As for having plenty of "up and coming" pilots, not so correct. The pandemic pushed the timetable back for many "up and coming pilots". The airlines saw this ripple effect coming but unfortunately didn't have many solutions/answers to the situation.
@keepcoming The airlines should and could have seen it coming. They should and could have reacted better, faster, and in a more enlightened way, but they chose not to. No sympathy for them at all, either. They're their own worst enemies
People/staff SHOULD stand up for what they believe in. I'm all in favour of that. I'm also in favour of, to paraphrase Spike Lee, "doing the right thing!" which in this case was to get vaxxed to keep your job, to also help minimize the spread of Covid, and to not put coworkers and customers at needless risk. Those that disagree could and did what they felt they needed, but there is no need to make them out as heroes or martyrs for their, selfish IMNSHO, beliefs. The same applies to all those who found that they could not easily travel or go to concerts, etc... They are/were a small, teeny-tiny, minority, although very vocal, whose opinions in perspective against the vast majority who did comply mean little. Majority rules and all that.