Airline pilots lobby to fly past age 60

[satpak77]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060926/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/old_pilots

Time is running out for some pilots: Englehardt, a Lake Bluff, Ill., resident who has flown 37 years for United Airlines, ferrying hundreds of passengers at a time to such destinations as Honolulu and London, turns 60 on Jan. 29.

Also, because United Airlines terminated its pilots' pension plan in 2004, Englehardt won't get $142,000 in annual retirement income as he thought he would. Instead, he said, the government's Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp. will pay him $29,600 a year in retirement benefits.

uke:

 

[BVT94]

On Tuesday, about 30 pilots launched a two-day lobbying blitz to let Congress know that they feel perfectly capable of staying on in the cockpit until they're 65.


I wouldn't call 30 pilots a blitz.

 

[PunchTheClown]

I just read the same thing. For as long as I've been in the 121 world I've wanted the retirement age to stay at 60 for the obvious reason that it would mean my career advancement would happen sooner. However the time I've spent here has taught me that with the way the industry is now we as pilots need do to whatever we can to make suitable retirement as we've been raped by upper management.

I've changed my tune, those of you who are approaching retirement were counting on penions, stock options, etc and now thats gone. I can't imagine how scary it must be to have lost that nest egg. I hope to god that the age 60 turns to the age 65 so that those of you who have invested so much can try to recoup at least some of what is rightfully yours.

Punch

 

[IHateDaley]

That article, by the way, features one of our distinguished Flightinfo members.

 

[Black Hawk]

For as long as I've been in the 121 world I've wanted the retirement age to stay at 60 for the obvious reason that it would mean my career advancement would happen sooner.

Adding 5 full years of productive work at the top of the pay scale to a career can be a pretty good thing to recoup some of the losses that have taken place over the past few years. A lot of pilot's have had enough by 60 something anyway and want to do something else with the rest of their lives. I suspect we'll see some pilots sticking around for a few more years but not a whole lot that plan to fly all the way to 65.

 

[Falconjet]

Hey, why not make it 95. I mean how many of us will make it that long?

FJ

 

[PunchTheClown]

Good point Black, I guess to many its just as unappealing as it is appealing. Maybe it would be some concelation just to have the option.

 

[accinelli]

Whats the big deal about flying past 60? If a man is healthy and alert at 95 -- let him fly.

 

[Hootie9750]

He flew 37 years for United. Wow life really did screw him, I feel so bad. I mean, that must mean that he was hired when he was 23? God bless his unfairly tortured soul.

 

[Yuppyguppy]

I'll do everything I can to stop these grandpa's from flying in the left or right seat 121. HEY GUYS HANG IT UP I'M TIRED OF YOUR BITCHING YOU SHOULD'VE SAVED UP WHEN TIMES WERE GOOD.