A sustainable wage changes over time. Sorry, but there is no fixed answer to this question. It changes based on the economic conditions (which currently, suck and are not likely to get better for the foreseeable future), oil prices, and what other players (the big boys) are paid in todays market. And unfortunately for you, your labor costs are now far higher than the rest of the competition.
True, SWA nickel/dimes a pilot initially by not paying for the type rating. But even that pathetic, low ball move will not be enough to save them long term with their current labor cost structure.
Sure, I could negotiate $750/hr to fly a 737. But it won't happen once the airline can't pay those kinds of labor costs anymore. Have you listened to Kelly?! EVERY single major (legacy) since deregulation has gone through bankruptcy, and many in the last 10 years alone. The post 9/11 world is drastically different, and your competition is far cheaper than you. Highest costs at any airline are fuel and labor. Now fuel you could hedge, and SWA did well, but that time is coming to an end. Next up, labor costs: the legacies have already gone through a bankruptcy adjustment (concessions and cuts) to reach a new equilibrium. That's the key word here, a labor equilibrium. IF every single legacy 737 pilot was making $200k as Captain, you'd be fair game to keep those kinds of costs around. But the reality is that is not the case anymore. Do you really think your airline can continue operating with $200k+ for Captains for the next 10 years? I'd bet money that in the next couple years, SWA will have a "labor cost adjustment" and you will fall in line with your peers at the legacies. You can say "this RJ pilot is stupid and doesn't know what he's talkin about" or you can just look at what's happened this past decade in the airline industry and learn.
No, don't blame me. I'm a relatively new entrant in this career. Those who have f*ked up this career were pilots before my time. Those who scoped out RJ flying to protect senior interests, those who were always against one-list, etc.
The 737 type goes back to the start of SWA. For a small airline to give type ratings, you need a Fed to come in for the oral, Sim PC, and bounce PC. remember in the 70's we had to do 85% checks in the sim, 15% in the airplane. This is a scheduling nightmare. Feds don't normally work, nights when your airplanes are not making money. By having the type rating, a company PC check airman can do all the of required checks to allow that person to fly as PIC. SWA also could have very easily requested a reduction in training hours due to the fact everyone had a 737 type. If remember right when SWA started they had a pipeline to the USAF Navigator School where they flew the 737.
You do know that kellihers no longer there?
