That is very well said. I do not think there is a person on this board who would not take a job at VA if there was nothing else was out there. UA has cut pay and benefits so much; who would ever want to stay there? People do. It pays the bills and it is what you love to do..fly. So, why is a guy trying to make a living at VA any different? One could almost argue that UA really is the culprit at getting pilot pay where it is today. If they were not so greedy back in the late 90's ( slowing down traffic, costing the company tons of cash and almost ALL their business customers) then they would have not filed for BK. Sorry, I like the rest of you want to make $500/hr (who wouldn't) but reality is a pilot is not worth that. If we were, we would be paid that, passengers would pay 4 times the fares today. They never will. If you run your airline right, (ie: SWA), then you can both make money and pay your pilots well. If you run it poorly, (ie: UA), then you fall from grace and screw yourself and others in the industry on the way down. If UA pilots would have done it right back then, VA would pay more today.