What's the future for airline pilots?

Airline pilots will never be in demand, ever. Combine the facts that it's ridiculously easy to get a Commercial Pilot Certificate and tons of young people think it's a cool job and you get way too many pilots and not enough jobs. The supply of pilots will always outweigh the demand. The only way that would ever change is if the FAA made it much harder to become a commercial pilot. It's not worth it. Go to college for something else.

Pilots are not likely to be replaced in at least the next century or so. The technology is available to fly airliners without pilots even today. However the reason no one has taken to ideas like this is the fact that machines can always make mistakes, and a human is always needed to correct these. Also, if 500 passengers board an aircraft, only to discover the plane had no pilot, with no human at the controls, most if the passengers would leave the aircraft; not many people would trust their lives with machines. A computer is prone to errors and probably would not be able to deal with emergency situations in the way a human way. Also, the demand from the central public for air travel is also likely to increase, with airship cruises and regional air travel soon to become more popular within the next half century, as predicted by scientist Leo Hickman, feature writer for The Guardian, and, of course, by me.

Despite the slump right now, more pilots will be in demand fairly soon because a LOT of pilots are in their 50's and will retire soon. As for what being a commercial pilot will be like in 20 years, I personally don't think it will change much at all. Planes do have really advanced auto pilot and gps systems but you have to remember that those machines are only capable of doing things that the pilot tells them to do. After all, it's not like pilots just sit in the cockpit watching movies on their iPads and reading newspapers all day long. they are the ones that actually fly and operate it, not the computers. So no, i do not think pilots will be replaced.

Every aspiring pilot knows it is a **** job, but they still go for it; why? flying is more than a job, it is a hobby and passion. There is an expected rise in pilot demand within the next 10 years. Just pray another 9/11 doesnt happen because that sunk the industry. There is also private space travel (sub orbital) coming in the future. If that ever gets off the ground and gets big, there will be jobs for that, but that isnt expected for 50 years or so

At the moment planes fly themselves. The computers are soo powerful the situation where the pilot has to 'fly the plane' are extremely rare. However I think its a good profession for the future. Why? Would you get in a plane with no pilot? No way I would not trust some computer with my life, i just got used to the DLR

Its got a nice future..due to globalisation and increase in population usage of air travel will only increase. I'm sure you might have considered but ensure you have enough funds as training is quite expensive.

not sure im asking the same question myself. but im not really considering. I know i am going to become one. For my 14th birthday im going on a introductory flight.

Would love to help but my crystal ball is at the menders - no one can predict that!