5 Year Plan ???
Be very careful,
My 5 year plan recently turned into maybe a 10 year plan ! It now appears that it will take a while to get back and even longer to make captain. UAL was upgrading in as little as 4 years when I started and has attained the lofty position of a "big maybe" in making it through this mess. Who knows how long it will take once things recover. Fortunately, like you, I have a corporate background and have found employment outside of the airlines for the time being.
So, it is not all about the money, however in my relatively short stay I saw the end of a contract, negotiations for a new contract, the possible merger with US Air, a turning economy, 9/11, the aftermath, and now more furloughs to come, wow, so much for the dream job ! I know, things WILL turn around and this will be something we all talk about down the road as the bad times. With that said though, I will return when the time comes because it still is a better career in my opinion. The highs are the schedule, career expectation, free travel passes, and the chance to fly the 777 or the 747, well if we keep any 747s.
To keep to the original thread, yes the 1st year pay is meager, just don't bank on the fact that it will improve with a guarantee such as a contract, mgmt has rolled over ours like it was not even there !
Better luck at SWA and UPS !