it is 1968 all over again. TWA and UAL would hire private pilots and PAY for their additional tickets. Also the FEIA got airlines to allow flight engineers to upgrade to pilot and PAY for their training to proficiency.
Reminds me of a flight, during taxi we were told of a lengthy delay due to severe wx. I told the pax and said if anyone wanted off I would return to the gate, and we would lose our place in line. The f/a reported one; a lawyer who said if he missed his court date there was no point going. Another f/a reported yet another pax said "tell him to relax, I'm the judge on that case." It took us seven hours to go PIT/CLT.