Atkinson’s complaints point to deeper issues affecting his profession. Indeed, not long ago, airline pilots were generally associated with high status. These professionals performed highly specialized work which, not unlike medical surgery, involved others literally entrusting their lives to them – as well as several million dollars’ worth of sophisticated technology. Apart from being prestigious, aviation was also highly regulated, not least because of its historic links to the military and national defence. To become a pilot you needed to be physically, as well as mentally, fit and endure a lengthy period of training. For many, being a pilot was a childhood dream