Public Perception

[VampyreGTX]

I was just arguing with two business men on the train to my finance job about the airlines. We started on the fact that United Exec's got millions in bonuses. I stayed out until one of them started saying how pilots are overpaid glorified bus-drivers. I couldn't believe how long it took me to make them believe me that the 'average' pilot salary wasn't almost 200K, that the new pilot for a regional starts at 20K if they're lucky and that most of my friends are on food-stamps. They kept saying that their's no way they make that little.

Do I think there should be such a huge disparity between a newbie pilot and a 20 year senior pilot, I don't know. But the 30% paycuts etc I think should be staggered. How much does that pay cut hurt someone making 30K dropping to 20K versus someone making 300K dropping to 200K.

I agreed with them that the bonuses to the execs is complete crap, what other job do you get a bonus for losing less money then expected? Oh, you only lost 900 million this year instead of 1 billion?! Here's a 10 millions bonus! In my business, it's you lost 10 million? You're fired!

Just my .02, but it's interesting to see the publics perception of the airline industry. I can't believe so many people who do nothing more than ever sit in the back of the plane think that being in that cockpit is such an easy, non-stressfull, money-making job.

 

[Flying Illini]

Yup, it's frustrating. And if you let it get to you, it'll drive you crazy how misinformed the general public is. If, during the course of my conversations with others, pilot pay comes up (which you would be surprised how often it seems to), I give them the ugly truth. My fiance hears this at work all the time, "Your fiance is a pilot? You must just be working for fun then!" It's definitely frustrating. Oh well.

 

[mach tuck]

Amen sister! I had a passenger ask me over the Christmas holiday what it was like to have to be away from home and my family during the holidays. After I told him, he says, "That's why you guys get paid the big bucks." I almost crapped myself. If the general public knew how much we get paid, they would probably tip us instead of their taxi driver. But tipping is another thread in itself.


mach

 

[Dash8]

I hate people...

 

[inline]

I was just arguing with two business men on the training how pilots are overpaid glorified bus-drivers.

I'll bet most municipal bus drivers make way more than your average RJF.O.( and some capts) Not to mention all the bennies that gov.employeesget. No checkrides, easy medicals, virtually impossible to get fired.No mandatory age 60 retirement.

 

[jetexas]

The airlines, or perhaps the unions?, have done a pretty good job at confusing the public or masking low pay. For one, the payscales.

FO ___ starts out making $22.00 an hour. 99.9% of the public who hears this thinks "well, that's not too bad, my brother, the pipe fitters apprentice, only made $16.00 an hour when he started out!"

So, you try to explain that the maximum we can fly is 100 hours a month. Without listening to the explanation, most people will think "100 hours a month?? That's it? Boy, I wish I could work only 25 hours a week!"

Also, the airlines will always throw in more when this hints at or becomes public in the press. "Yeah, but that pilot tops out at $90,000 a year". Again...the public..."$90,000 a year! Wow, I wish I could make that!!" They don't understand that you may make less than 40K/year for 10-20 years! Most guys making 200K/year were hired into a major in their early 20's and are now getting ready to retire. A mere fraction of the work force. Again, not understood.

I have had many people that just REFUSE to believe I make so little. They pass it off as nonsense or a bad joke. THAT's how deeply engrained this is. I wonder when/if it will ever change? Even if the public did know how little pilots make these days, they probably would not do anything about it, nor care. Supply and Demand.

 

[avbug]

Pilots are overpaid bus drivers...and a dime a dozen. And that would be fine, except that all too often, pilots are underpaid bus drivers.

I really don't care about the public perception; it's meaningless. Image is nothing (obey your thirst). But like the man said, show us the money. As good ole' fox moulder would say...it's out there.


Somewhere.


Far from here...

 

[English]

I'll go with us being glorified bus drivers, but definitely not overpaid.

 

[learflyer]

It's time to call Barbara Walters and have her do a story on us on 20/20 to get the word out! Have it air directly after the superbowl so the whole world knows how much pilots really make.

 

[avbug]

No, don't let the secret out. That's what the world wants. Or so the germans would have us believe...