How Many Months Supply of Excess Pilots?

[Dornier 335]

Yeah, flown by cheap labor pilots from the US since they are applying by the truck load to places like LAN, COPA and wherever they can get DEC positions for $5000 dollars a month

BUT if you get your 500 hrs B737 or A320 PIC and if you are open to the world you can land yourself some pretty well-paid gigs on this planet. Especially like me who's stuck on the 145 which ain't good for anything. COPA, LAN etc. is like working in paradise for first year f/o pay and be surrounded by Latin babes (if that's your weakness).

 

[Lear70]

BUT if you get your 500 hrs B737 or A320 PIC and if you are open to the world you can land yourself some pretty well-paid gigs on this planet. Especially like me who's stuck on the 145 which ain't good for anything. COPA, LAN etc. is like working in paradise for first year f/o pay and be surrounded by Latin babes (if that's your weakness).

No, mine is near-anorexic blondes... (I call 'em "spinners") like the one in your avatar.

And yes, the airlines south of the border are primarily hiring Latin American pilots, absolutely MUST speak Spanish fluently, etc, etc... and they're getting them... for now.

As far as pilots flying for peanuts, that's an old, old argument, and the cat is definitely out of the bag on that one. Cabotage is a real issue, but in actuality, the Ryanair / slEasyjet wages are higher than many of our LCC wages in the U.S. 1st year guys are making about $65-70k over there (about EU$40k). With the Euro coming down in value, it's a little less equivalent in USD than it used to be, but it's still a lot better than most of the U.S. LCC's...

It's a very complicated puzzle... but I do expect wages at the Regionals and Charter jobs, as well as the international expat gigs, to improve with the coming crunch they'll feel from the "highly" qualified people going back to the Majors (recalls) or getting hired back in the U.S.

Long term? Anyone's guess...

 

[atpcliff]

Hi!

Jun/Jul/Aug/Sep 2001 on the J-41. Sim check was 09/12/2001, so not there for long! Some of the guys in my class came back and were there for a while!

cliff
LFW

 

[DUATS]

What a bunch of BS. Try management. Southwest has cheap tickets and good pay..... o yeah and they are profitable

Just looked at the favorite LAX-LGA for July 12-16, a random week for a business traveler. Southwest is $538. Next highest is Airtran at $458. USAir is $369. All the rest are between $399 and $408. I rarely fly Southwest, because I find their low fares to be largely a myth (and I really like assigned seats).

A contributor on airliners.net wrote,
"SFO-JFK in the late 70's was $294F/$245Y one-way, with excursion fares ranging from $245 to $343 round-trip. Fares changed so infrequently, the airlines could print them in their timetables, and they'd be accurate."

Using the Inflation Calculator, that $343 in 1979 would be $1000.50 today. Even at the low range, $245 would be $715. If the airlines could average a grand round trip east coast to west, they would have plenty of money to pay us pilots!

 

[waveflyer]

That's such crap-
what ? You want pilots to set ticket prices now?
Get real and stop the mental masturbation- fuel prices tripled and airlines paid them-
get involved in your union and support politicians that support us- and we'll see gains back. You're the only ones who will advocate for you. And we all need to do a better job of it.

Think: what motivation does mgmt have to run a profitable airline- they've worked out pay packages where they get paid a kings ransom either way- all profits do is make us want to get paid more... And the rampers and the agents etc etc

this industry has gotten together at their ranch and decided to sacrifice itself- when people travel cheap it stimulates the economy- and bk has allowed the airlines to shed billions in labor costs with no penalty. Why would they change this scenario?

It's up to us to get in the game and make our gains back

 

[Dornier 335]

history

fuel prices tripled and airlines paid them-

I'm afraid to ask, how much did airline CEOs' pay and bonuses increase?

 

[waveflyer]

seriously, right? and even mid level managers- mgmt retention bonuses anyone? hell = FA's got a big payraise at my regional b/c they couldn't find enough to fill the exploding ranks at their pay- they'd often get time and a half and earn more than the FO

 

[pilotyip]

That's such crap-
what ? You want pilots to set ticket prices now?
Get real and stop the mental masturbation- fuel prices tripled and airlines paid them-

ridership dropped, hiring stopped, lay offs followed, anyone remember the summer of 2008. The marginal consumer upon which every airline lives, decided not to fly. Bingo no profit

 

[HalinTexas]

There is no pilot shortage in the US. Won't be. When pay and benefits come up, that will signal a pilot shortage. In the GA world, maybe, but not professional pilots. You'll see the MPL before any significant increases in pay, I feel.

I haven't flown a jet since April of last year. I did get my CFI back last month! imp: I know many ex-ATA looking for work. Many haven't flown in a year or more. May have found something in latin America, but waiting to see. If you're willing to go overseas, you'll find well paying jobs, but...... you have to go overseas.

 

[Dornier 335]

If you're willing to go overseas, you'll find well paying jobs, but...... you have to go overseas.

That's what I did, and I don't regret having done it. I cannot believe how many pilots in the US are afraid to work in another country. Kinda weird.