Example: Difference betwen USA and other regionals

[johnpeace]

You're forgetting to factor in the free lunches with Brad and Scott though. All you need to do is go on ourasa, make as much noise as you possibly can, and you too can be a member of the "Squeaky Wheel of the Month Lunch Club."

I recommend it...I turned down the offer to buy lunch though.

The more they hear from me and you that the wheels are falling off the train, the more likely they are to take it seriously.

I looked Scott Hall in the eye and told him he was mismanaging the pilot morale problem and that he's going to have a bigger problem than he can solve if he doesn't step it up.

That was more satisfying than any grousing I've done on the internet.

 

[johnpeace]

And how long do you think it will take you to get to that point at Atlanta's Special Airline? You might just get within shouting distance of that $100K sitting left seat on the 700/900 after 15+ years (unless you're an ALPA rep) but if recent history is any indication the company will do everything in their power to make damn sure you're working 19-20 days/month to achieve it.

How long should it take?

Some of you act like you have a birthright to 1/4mil a year and anything less is a career failure. The vanity here is SPECTACULAR!

 

[LongBeachTrijet]

I flew from Leipzig Germany to Munich on a Eurowings CRJ and we were served hot sandwiches. Booze, beer and wine were available for no extra charge.

 

[shamrock]

How long should it take?

Some of you act like you have a birthright to 1/4mil a year and anything less is a career failure. The vanity here is SPECTACULAR!

I never said I was owed anything, I was just pointing out that you're a good 12-15 years away from the 100k for 15 days a month you mention. You ask where else can you make that pay, the reality is that you don't.

 

[johnpeace]

I never said I was owed anything, I was just pointing out that you're a good 12-15 years away from the 100k for 15 days a month you mention. You ask where else can you make that pay, the reality is that you don't.

No, you're missing the point. There's NOT ANYTHING else that I can do where I CAN make $100K/year for 15 days/month...after any amount of dues paying or living on less or cost savings or anything else.

I can make $60K for pretty easy work (web programming). And if I want to really bust my tail and supervise people and take on a LOT of headaches and extra work (nights, weekends, always on call) I could make $100K in 4-6 years.

Hell, for that matter...what else am I going to do that'll pay me $40K/year where I only work 4-6 hrs a day most days and spend the rest of the day drinking beer, shooting pool, going out to eat at Chilis or working my other job from my Macbook Pro on the hotel WiFi?

As frustrating as this career path is sometimes and even with the problems the industry faces...I'm glad I have my seat.

I'm going to try getting out of the complaining rut I've fallen into and try having a more positive attitude about my job.

 

[shamrock]

I've never said that I'm not happy I have my seat, what I'm not happy about is working for a company that in my view has declared war on our QOL and has refused to learn the lessons of last years short-staffing implosion.

I have no doubt that the SKW braintrust is one of the sharper groups in the industry and that leads me to believe that they know exactly what they are doing with their handling of ASA... That is very disappointing. I just don't buy Brad's feigned ignorance when it comes to the issues we are facing and trying to draw management's attention to and I would have much more confidence in him if he dropped the clueless act and simply came out and said "sorry guys, this is the staffing model we are using and it's going to stay that way so suck it up".

And before Merchant chimes in with his sage "don't let the door hit you in the arse" advice let me go on the record as saying that I am working on voting with my feet and will be gone as soon as I can with no hard feelings...

 

[Kenny]

I've just finished my first year in the 737 at Virgin Blue, having spent the previous 9 years at Atlantic Coast and Air Whisky. In terms of pay and conditions, it's infinitely better. There is far more respect for pilots from both the traveling public and the ground staff that I work with. There's also, dare I say it, still some of the old school mystic and glamour still attached to being a pilot here. I've never felt like the glorified bus driver, that I often felt in the US.

As far as pay is concerned, an FO at VB on the 737 will start on 100k, which goes up by 10k after the first 500 hours on type and 5% every year after that until 2000 hours. At that point it goes up 30k. Captains get double We get paid a salary for the first 71 hours each month and then $125 an hour for every hour over 71. Per diem doesn't exist, although we get paid allowances depending on how much of a day you're away from base. Essentially, if you have an overnight and start in the morning, you'll get $120 for the day. If you offer to work on a day off, it's a minimum of 5 hours of pay or whatever you work over that. So I can work a SYD-MEL-SYD on a day off and earn almost $700 for about 3 hours of block.

Considering that the Australian dollar is now on a parity with the US dollar that may sound great but it is far more expensive to live here. It's probably about double for the basics; food, rent, cell, etc.

You cannot compare the US to Australia. Even though Australia is the same size as the US, there are only 20 million people and possibly 8 main cities. However, the competition is intense and just as cut throat as the States. The difference is that the traveling public still expect a certain level of service and are quite happy to go elsewhere if they get treated like cr@p.

There is no government subsidizing of any airline here and you only have to look at the demise of Ansett, to see that the Australian government is quite happy to let a badly run business go under.

 

[Gr82Aviate]

I've just finished my first year in the 737 at Virgin Blue, having spent the previous 9 years at Atlantic Coast and Air Whisky. In terms of pay and conditions, it's infinitely better. There is far more respect for pilots from both the traveling public and the ground staff that I work with. There's also, dare I say it, still some of the old school mystic and glamour still attached to being a pilot here. I've never felt like the glorified bus driver, that I often felt in the US.

As far as pay is concerned, an FO at VB on the 737 will start on 100k, which goes up by 10k after the first 500 hours on type and 5% every year after that until 2000 hours. At that point it goes up 30k. Captains get double We get paid a salary for the first 71 hours each month and then $125 an hour for every hour over 71. Per diem doesn't exist, although we get paid allowances depending on how much of a day you're away from base. Essentially, if you have an overnight and start in the morning, you'll get $120 for the day. If you offer to work on a day off, it's a minimum of 5 hours of pay or whatever you work over that. So I can work a SYD-MEL-SYD on a day off and earn almost $700 for about 3 hours of block.

Considering that the Australian dollar is now on a parity with the US dollar that may sound great but it is far more expensive to live here. It's probably about double for the basics; food, rent, cell, etc.

You cannot compare the US to Australia. Even though Australia is the same size as the US, there are only 20 million people and possibly 8 main cities. However, the competition is intense and just as cut throat as the States. The difference is that the traveling public still expect a certain level of service and are quite happy to go elsewhere if they get treated like cr@p.

There is no government subsidizing of any airline here and you only have to look at the demise of Ansett, to see that the Australian government is quite happy to let a badly run business go under.

Did you notice it was a lot easier for an Aussie to get a job in the U.S., than it is for a U.S. citizen to get a job in your country?

 

[Kenny]

Actually chief, my sim partner and class mate was ex US Navy, married to an Aussie girl. So no different than my situation when I came to the US.

And by the way, I have both US and Australian citizenship.

 

[The Rookie]

I'm here in Australia and had to fly a Qantas Link Q400 for a 1 hr flight up the East coast from Sydney.
After departure the FAs served every one a little snack box with about 5 different little snacks in them plus water. They then also served beverages. They also brought the pilots their crew meals to eat ON THE 1 HR FLIGHT.

Last year, I was on a paid ticket on a Q400 from BOI to SEA flown by a branded, reputable carrier with decent pilot wages. We were given snack boxes and offered free beer and wine throughout the flight.

Of course, that same carrier just had its fleet of jet aircraft stripped away by its parent company and placed at a non-union wholesaler of airline seats.

 

[BOX OFFICE]

Last year, I was on a paid ticket on a Q400 from BOI to SEA flown by a branded, reputable carrier with decent pilot wages. We were given snack boxes and offered free beer and wine throughout the flight.

Of course, that same carrier just had its fleet of jet aircraft stripped away by its parent company and placed at a non-union wholesaler of airline seats.

^^^ Winner.