Jazz pilots reach TA

[cale42]

Alright.. I thoroughly respect that answer. I believe in the same principles and don't have an issue living by them.

However I have to disagree with your assessment that compared to Europe, India, the Middle East or Far East we are fairly compensated. Almost without exception they treat pilots better and pay them more. Especially at the sub-100 seat level. I won't argue that widebody pilots at majors compare favorably in the US to other countries.

Also, I assume with your financial acumen that you know the ATL is one of the cheapest major metro areas in the country and while I have no problem with the choice to live there, could you live a lifestyle you would be happy with in SFO, SEA, NYC, or BOS?

cale

 

[RJ Bum]

Alright.. I thoroughly respect that answer. I believe in the same principles and don't have an issue living by them.

However I have to disagree with your assessment that compared to Europe, India, the Middle East or Far East we are fairly compensated. Almost without exception they treat pilots better and pay them more. Especially at the sub-100 seat level. I won't argue that widebody pilots at majors compare favorably in the US to other countries.

Also, I assume with your financial acumen that you know the ATL is one of the cheapest major metro areas in the country and while I have no problem with the choice to live there, could you live a lifestyle you would be happy with in SFO, SEA, NYC, or BOS?

cale

You're being too kind. What wide body rates do you speak of? If you take FedEX and UPS out of the equation we are not remotely close.

 

[cale42]

I don't think I am. I am limited to mostly airlinepilotcentral.com, but go there and pull up Alitalia, Qantas, Cathay, and Emirates, which is a nice sampling. Delta and American are equal to or more than all of them on widebody rates.

That is what I based my statement on.

 

[RJ Bum]

Well the airlines that you've chosen aren't exactly known for raising the bar over the years.....

Also dont forget to factor in exchange rate when looking at that site, you'll be surprised

 

[cale42]

I did factor in the exchange rate.. Remember the euro is only trading for about eight cents on the dollar. Some of those rates looked a lot better 18 months ago.

While I would love to see a return of the contracts of the late 90's I don't have a problem saying 200K+ a year is fair for a senior widebody captain. I would just like to see more like 90K+ for a regional captain and 50K+ for a regional FO.. much like Jazz has!

cale

 

[RJ Bum]

I am happy for the Jazz guys, but the regionals need to return to CMR and Horizon rates of 2000 plus inflation. But this is a step in the right direction. I do have disagree with the 200K statement about widebody rates. 200K was fair in 1990, but not in 2010

 

[cale42]

200K is in the top 1% of all wage earners. Well above many lawyers and doctors. Would like more, but we need to focus elsewhere.

 

[RJ Bum]

I agree, the focus needs to be the enitre industry, top pay dictates the rest the the scale. As far as comparing it to doctors and lawyers, that's a whole different conversation. Apples and oranges

 

[Floatplane]

Shouldn't this be on the Regional Board?

 

[pipejockey]

Just because the Canadians aren't bound by the RLA doesn't mean they are a better place to work. I would suggest you look at pilot jobs in India the Middle East, Latin America or Europe for that matter to get a perspective on the US airlines.

Well if we were not under the RLA we would be under the NLRA and then not only could management pit one airline pilot group against the other, they could pit the pilots against one domicile of an individual airline against the pilots of another domicile within the same company. Each having different contracts, with each domiciles flying being held hostage by management during negotiations. You see sport, the Canadians still have some semblance of respect for labor, even organized labor up there, and they are not nearly as ruthless in busting the unions and lowering the standard of living of labor forces there as they are down here. If you compare the USA to other civilized and industrialized nations, we are dead last in how we treat people who are considered labor, as opposed to management.

It's funny how when people want to exaggerate about how much better we have it here than other places, they always compare us to the lowest of low and downtrodden. You know, the kind of person who after hearing you complain about the quality of the dinner you just had to pay 25 bucks for, proceeds to preach to you about all the people starving in Uganda! WHAT!! Uganda?? We are citizens of the USA and should be compared to the best nations of the world. NOT UGANDA!!


Now, you want to talk about India, Europe, Latin America, and the middle East? Ok then! If you take the wages of the pilots of those countries, including the regional pilots, and compare what they are paid to others in their own country, you will find that the pilots are living near the very top of the food chain. That means the small jet pilots as well. And I bet it is even more pronounced in good ole Uganda! A Ugandan pilot is probably living a lifestyle that the average Ugandan could only dream about. Our small jet FO's are barely above poverty, and the Captains are paid an average american salary at best when compared to our own people.