Historic Pay Scales

[BillJBrake]

I've looked all over the internet, and can't find anything. Does anyone have pay scales from any of the legacies (Delta, Northwest, United, Continental, TWA, American, Alaska, etc.) from the 1980s or 1990s? Just curious to see them.

While posts like "I was a 727 FO in 1992 and made $47k" is nice, I'd like to see the actual pay scales (and compare them to today).

 

[General Lee]

I've looked all over the internet, and can't find anything. Does anyone have pay scales from any of the legacies (Delta, Northwest, United, Continental, TWA, American, Alaska, etc.) from the 1980s or 1990s? Just curious to see them.

While posts like "I was a 727 FO in 1992 and made $47k" is nice, I'd like to see the actual pay scales (and compare them to today).

Oooops, didn't see the part about old pay rates. Sorry...


Bye Bye---General Lee

 

[BentOver]

Late 90's

http://chipsplace.com/docarch/DeltaContract.pdf

Comparisons include many things from other carriers contracts as well...

Looks like we are still well behind the 8 ball....

 

[pilotyip]

In 1979 on a ALPA contract, I was a L-188 F/O at $900/mo

 

[Blue Dude]

In 1979 on a ALPA contract, I was a L-188 F/O at $900/mo

This says nothing by itself. Major carrier? Off probation? Passenger or cargo? Mainline or feeder? etc. etc. But you were sure to mention that you were on an ALPA contract and therefore ALPA let you starve. Gotcha.

 

[pilotyip]

This says nothing by itself. Major carrier? Off probation? Passenger or cargo? Mainline or feeder? etc. etc. But you were sure to mention that you were on an ALPA contract and therefore ALPA let you starve. Gotcha.

good point, it was first year pay, if I remember correctly, 50 hr guarantee $18/hr, we normally flew close to 80 hours. That meant take home of $1200-$1500/mo with per-deim, which was not much different that my first year counterparts at the majors. TransAmerican was the largest supplemental air carrier in the country around 50 airplanes, L-188's, L-382's, DC-8's, DC-10's and B-747's. I remember the DO coming into ground school and telling us we would all be 747 Captains in five years with their growth plans. We would be making $100K/yr . In five years they were all but out of business and I had moved to the job security of the Corporate world, but that is a different story.

 

[Freebrd]

Oooops, didn't see the part about old pay rates. Sorry...
Bye Bye---General Lee

You putz! You were all set to say Deltahh is getting 717s hun Jenny! What a troll!

 

[tomgoodman]

In 1979 on a ALPA contract, I was a L-188 F/O at $900/mo

That was also the starting pay at Delta in 1979. After 6 months, it increased to $1000/mo. Year two you went on hourly pay and got about twice that amount, and by the third year most guys were back to making what they had as an O-3 in the military.

 

[Ty Webb]

In 1979, I had a paper route. Made about fifteen dollars a week, operating a 5 speed. By year two, I upgraded to the ten-speed, twenty dollars a week. and the occasional Marlboro.

 

[Whine Lover]

"I'd like to see the actual pay scales and compare them to today.."

Can you handle the Truth?

Here it is:

- 747 - Max Captain at / NWA in 1991 had a Base Annual Guarantee of approx. $186,000.

- Adjusted for inflation that's $319,444.00 in today's dollars.

- 747 - Max. Captain / Delta - Base Annual Guarantee = $205,140.00


Sad...Isn't it?

Now, compare that to CEO / Management pay scales (which have risen astronomically percentage wise) during the same time frame and it makes you want to slip into their homes at night and personally slit their throats as they sleep...Oh, sorry...That last part was supposed to be in my "Inside Voice".





YKW

 

[Dan Roman]

^^^^^^^^

That is essentially it. The discrepancy in income between working Americans and the few at the top that are manipulating capitalism to their benefit at the expense of the people who are actually doing the work is outrageous. Its a huge threat to the future of this country.

 

[Dan Roman]

And along those lines I think you can make a case for greed backfiring in our industry right now. Half of all domestic airline flying got transferred from good career airlines, Allegheny, North Central, PSA, Hughes Airwest etc. etc. to Regional Airlines that consistently have to bid for flying, pay less than a realistic livable wage to pilots and provide substantially diminished career prospects. A few Manipulators made a lot of money, Ornstein, that Reverend guy (Bedford?) etc. a few people got rich, thousands got screwed.
I think the pendulum is now going to swing back from the greed of the few to the rest of us. There simply will not be enough pilots to fly 50% of the domestic traffic at the current RJ pay scales and working conditions. The legacy airlines are going to hire 1000's of regional pilots over the next few years. There will not be anywhere near enough qualified pilots to replace them.

 

[Dan Roman]

good point, it was first year pay, if I remember correctly, 50 hr guarantee $18/hr, we normally flew close to 80 hours. That meant take home of $1200-$1500/mo with per-deim, which was not much different that my first year counterparts at the majors. TransAmerican was the largest supplemental air carrier in the country around 50 airplanes, L-188's, L-382's, DC-8's, DC-10's and B-747's. I remember the DO coming into ground school and telling us we would all be 747 Captains in five years with their growth plans. We would be making $100K/yr . In five years they were all but out of business and I had moved to the job security of the Corporate world, but that is a different story.

I believe I was paid $1200 a month to start as an Electra FO at Hawaiian Air Cargo at YIP before they moved to Macon. That was in 1978.
I'll bet you flew with my old friend Gerry Staiger. He was Mario Andretti's pilot before going to TransAmerica as an Electra FE

 

[Dan Roman]

My Dad retired from UAL as a very senior 727 Captain in 1979. $80,000 a year

 

[pilotyip]

I believe I was paid $1200 a month to start as an Electra FO at Hawaiian Air Cargo at YIP before they moved to Macon. That was in 1978.
I'll bet you flew with my old friend Gerry Staiger. He was Mario Andretti's pilot before going to TransAmerica as an Electra FE

Did you do the DAY Emery sort? If so our paths probably crossed. Let me check my log book, Staiger rings a bell

 

[Dan Roman]

Did you do the DAY Emery sort? If so our paths probably crossed. Let me check my log book, Staiger rings a bell

I remember DAY in the middle of the night and seeing more varieties of A/C than most aviation museums! Didn't do it that often though. A lot of LogAir, some scheduled emery and PBA stuff up and down the East Coast and some Alaska flying.