I recall a few years ago watching "catch me if you can" the salary for the first officer at Pan Am at the time was more... significantly more... than I was making some 32 years later at a major airline... I was asked to vote for yet another concessionary TA at the time so that we could be competitive and excel against our rivals.. the kool aid was cold and it was red and most peoples faces... showed fear and red around the lips.. the TA was voted in.. we never saw those promised rewards as the airline failed... and golden parachutes were given to top execs for running a profitable airline into the ground with the ideas of granduer... I walked away from a 5 year career with 5k in a 401k.. not really enough for a good vacation...
The amount of time invested to become an airline pilot, the amount of stress in training, in challenging flights makes it clear to me that we as an industry are significantly underpaid.. I could go into NYC and answer phones and bring faxes to the appropriate desks...yes I would have to be a hot chick, but I would start at 55k and have medical from day one...
There will always be somebody willing to fly for food.. and it will be a race to the bottom.. I think we have hit the bottom.. I hope that our new Alpa leadership brings us back.. and we take it back.. For all concerned, we as avaition pros need to be paid commenseratly for our skills... otherwise, we will walk away and the safety our our beloved industry will be in peril.. safety, strong work rules, and high compensation are good for all.. management, wall street, ALPA brothers and sisters, and most importantly the safety of the general public... I don't want a plane to end up on my roof some night... and it's come close...
from pilot group to pilot group ... unite, organize (JBLUE) and we will prevail...
80k to start is not a lot of money...
400k to be a Captain is a decent living...and well deserved
The amount of time invested to become an airline pilot, the amount of stress in training, in challenging flights makes it clear to me that we as an industry are significantly underpaid.. I could go into NYC and answer phones and bring faxes to the appropriate desks...yes I would have to be a hot chick, but I would start at 55k and have medical from day one...
There will always be somebody willing to fly for food.. and it will be a race to the bottom.. I think we have hit the bottom.. I hope that our new Alpa leadership brings us back.. and we take it back.. For all concerned, we as avaition pros need to be paid commenseratly for our skills... otherwise, we will walk away and the safety our our beloved industry will be in peril.. safety, strong work rules, and high compensation are good for all.. management, wall street, ALPA brothers and sisters, and most importantly the safety of the general public... I don't want a plane to end up on my roof some night... and it's come close...
from pilot group to pilot group ... unite, organize (JBLUE) and we will prevail...
80k to start is not a lot of money...
400k to be a Captain is a decent living...and well deserved
