I'm not writing about regional pilots, my friend (although this just happens to be on the regionals board), I am writing about corporate and charter pilots.
I am sorry you don't make squat. YOU made that choice - no one held a gun to YOUR head and made YOU go to send in YOUR resume, go to the interview, then go to INDOC and take a checkride. If you didn't know what you were getting yourself into, then you have either been under a rock or are waaayyy too stupid to be operating an aluminum tube of death with seventy lives behind you at .82 mach. Quit your whining, be a man, go fly your trip safely, and go home to your family. If you don't like your compensation, find another vocation - that's what will improve the pay - supply and demand. Microecon 1-0-fukking-1.
As long as guys keep taking jobs so they can walk through the terminal with their cool uniform on and be able to call themselves jet pilots or rely upon tips to augment their income, the "race to the bottom" as far as public/management perception, as well as compensation shall continue.
I used to be a regional pilot, too; I made a life choice to get out.
My point is this: the "race to the bottom" as far as the public's perception of our profession goes for guys to be out there taking tips - this practice is so blue collar, it should be sickening to anyone with any pride whatsoever.
If you want to be treated and looked upon as a professional, walking around with your hand out like a freaking upper East Side doorman damn sure isn't going to help.
If you're an airline pilot and you're standing there taking the blame for the landing as the passengers embark, then you accept a tip from one of those passengers (as you suggest you would willingly do), God help you, panhandler.
