Virgin America getting closer

[koko nw]

So, it's ok to work for $129k a year if you have 15 years in at a "Major" with no pension and $h!t work rules but you're a pariah in the industry if you go start out at a LCC and make that in a few years?

You know very well why a 15 year "pilot" makes what he makes NOW.

No one cares what you made as an FO a few years ago. No one stood up and drew a line in the sand when they lowered the bar at YOUR airline. Where was the big talk then? You wouldn't put YOUR career on the line to stop the slide but you start slinging $h!t and someone who wants to go to a LCC and get their foot in the door like the early JB guys.

I tried, I voted no. But to be honest my main reason for voting no was because it would have meant my furlough. There you happy? What stand did you make at TWA/AA? Did you guy's walk away when you were one of least paid legacies around? What stand did YOU make? How about when YOU were on the brink of BK? I'm all ears.

What a bunch of hypocrites. Makes me proud to be an American... NOT! TC

.
You win...Have a nut at Virgin whatever, be first in line and make YOUR stand. Yes I'm a hypocrite, bitter ect you can fill in the blanks. You can have this profession, hopefully by this time next month I'll leave this "pax" carrying profession to YOU.

 

[hawkerflyer]

Goddangit, I'd piss on a spark plug if I knew any better. Let the boy in their major!
One of the all time great movie quotes...

 

[Bringupthebird]

Actually, they named it Jefferson Airplane because Jefferson kept slaves too.

 

[GCAP]

Just a little something to think about.......
Age 60 goes away in November....
Lots of UA AAA retirees with no pension and a handy A-320 type....
Think VA will have trouble finding pilots to fly for $120,000 a year????

 

[Fly4hire]

With a rumored 80K a year top pay for an A320 captain, I hope like hell the majors go for blood if that disaster ever does get off the ground. Does 80K in California buy a double wide or something???

Yeah, they'll go for blood - ours :angryfire The new bottom feeder LCC will be the contractual target. I'm betting the majors hope VA is a whopping success.

 

[Fly4hire]

Just a little something to think about.......
Age 60 goes away in November....
Lots of UA AAA retirees with no pension and a handy A-320 type....
Think VA will have trouble finding pilots to fly for $120,000 a year????

Age 60 ain't over yet by a long shot.

 

[Green]

So 174k as a 737 Captain in Oz is bad? What are you smoking? Have you ever been there. Do you know what it costs compared to US cities?

Yes I have been there and yes I do know what it costs compared to US cities. 174k (Aus$) is not an aweful salary. But it is significantly LESS than what airline pilots were making in Oz before Virgin Blue came around. They are dragging down the payscales in oz. I hope it's not the case in the Us but I am worried that Virgin America will do the same up here. Sadly pilots these days just don't seem to think we are worth very much. Oh well.

 

[Green]

Did you ever consider the fact that pilots willing to work for a fraction of what major pilots were pulling down six years ago to be a reason why those salaries are no longer attainable?
Before anybody rips me a new one...Yes I realize that mismanagement and the inability to react to competition being the leading casual factors not wages.

You believe $70k is your limit. OK you work for virgin brown and two years down the road virgin skank comes on line and now their only paying $100k for a captain and $50k for an fo. Can you see were we are our own worst enemy? They need to charge more for the ticket...But are unable to in part because of the competitions ability to gather a labor force willing to work for...LESS. Shiney new airplanes rapid advancement and....you get the picture.

What was once a coveted profession has quickly degenerated into who can outbid who to the bottom the fastest.

I'm sorry if I sounded harsh towards you and your service, I didn't mean too, Congrats on your decision to stay in..Best of luck

Koko

right on...

 

[jehtplane]

Wow, real impressive top out pay. $129,000.00 for CA's and $74,000.00 for FO's. Pathetic. Sad to see the race to 7-11 wages continues "down under" too.

What is Continental's starting pay again? Where did you get those numbers?

 

[psycho]

Looking at Virgin America Objectively :

Foreign ownership means nothing to any pilot not currently working for a major or lcc. Pilots employed by foreign owners will need to be certificated in the usa. Most ALPA airlines in the USA employ more foreign pilots than Branson could ever dream of hiring.

The real concern from ALPA is competition at any level. The ownership issue is a smokescreen to distract you from the reality that ALL ALPA pilots at ALL ALPA MAINLINE CARRIERS have done more to destroy this profession than one thousand immigrant pilots could ever hope to do. All brains and no balls.

VA would pay you more than any ALPA carrier in the long run