Seth:
First of all, sorry about your company having problems. I hope they can pull through, whoever they may be ( ATA perhaps ? ).
To answer your questions/comments in order: I agree, Indians, So-so, and No.
Okay, now that I'm done being a wise guy I'll try to expand the answers.
I agree, the starting pay for direct entry captains is pathetic. It has been going down for quite some time. I believe I have written it here before but the primary reason I see is due to the great many companies that now hire non-westerners as expats pilots. It used to be primarily the English, Americans, and Australians competing for jobs overseas. They commanded high salaries and got them. As the former Soviet Bloc and Eastern Europe as well as other countries opened up, their pilots started competing in the market and the pay level that makes those people happy is much lower. So we are faced with guys who fly 767s for their national carrier who make $1000 per month competing with you for a job that pays $7000 per month.
My best example of a job that went downhill is the Nouvelle Air MD-80 contract in Tunisia. In 1997 that job paid $8000 per month plus housing. In 2002 I was offered that exact job for $4000.00 per month plus housing. Quite a big decrease over 5 years. There are similar stories everywhere. 767 Captain jobs in Japan used to be close to $16,000 per month. Heck, when EVA started they paid 767 drivers $14,000 per month, now they only pay around $8000.
With that said though, you need to look at the total package. My salary here is quite low but the total package makes it worthwhile. Remember that the first $80,000 or foreign earned income is tax free. That plus your normal deductions makes it so you won't have to pay tax to Uncle Sam until you are making well over $100,000 per year. Housing will be a big component of any expat contract as should any tax issues with the country concerned. A lot make you pay around 15%. Also bonuses, overtime pay, vacation, travel allowances, per diem, etc. You must look very carefully at the bottom line. Look at the living expenses of the country concerned; whether or not you need a car; education for children; and more.
My first contract was a base pay of $7500 per month for 75 hours of flying plus per diem. I went there thinking that was what I would make and not much more. Well, it ended up being a lot more because of the way the contract was structured. The point being, research the contract carefully and see what the bottom line per month will be.
I agree the Singapore contracts are crap these days. They have continually eroded as I have mentioned. SIA does most of their recruiting in India. That plus the Malaysians and Indonesians who go there tend to give them enough pilots. Singapore is a great place, though it would be tough to live there on $10,000 per month if you had to pay tax, rent, car, and education out of it. If it was $10,000 per month plus housing and education then it would be doable.
Pay does not get better after the first year on a contract job. It will only get worse. I have often said that the best your contract will ever be is on the day you sign it. The bean counters will continually try to take things away even during the duration of the contract. A renewal would likely be for less. Exceptions are Cathay and Dragonair as they are permanent jobs. Emirates has step increases and bonuses but they don't keep up with inflation.
Typhoonpilot
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