Why Are You A Pilot If You Don't Want To Fly?

[Bluto]

I think you will see a greater percentage of pilots that love to fly as the job will be more love than money in the future! Maybe this is a good thing.

Maybe not. Maybe this is part of the reason compensation is in a continual downward spiral. If pilots would respect themselves and the job they do, if they would consider it a valuable service they provide instead of a fun hobby that happens to include a (dwindling) paycheck, then maybe the airlines would be forced to recognize that it's more expensive to be in business now than it used to be and pass some of that expense on to the consumer.

 

[Mooneymite]

Maybe not. Maybe this is part of the reason compensation is in a continual downward spiral. If pilots would respect themselves and the job they do, if they would consider it a valuable service they provide instead of a fun hobby that happens to include a (dwindling) paycheck, then maybe the airlines would be forced to recognize that it's more expensive to be in business now than it used to be and pass some of that expense on to the consumer.

Pilot pay is determined by many factors. Obviously supply/demand is the most important. Unionization can manage the equation to a certain extent, but as long as operators can throw a rock into a bush and flush out 35 ATP rated pilots, there will be downward pressure on pay. As long as the consumer demands rock bottom prices, there will be continued downward pressure on working conditions.

One of the reason there are so many pilots is that the pay/working conditions have been pretty good compared to other jobs. It has attracted a lot of people who are interested in piloting as a job. The more ATP's there are, the lower the pay (I, know, it's an over-simplification). As the pay drops, the number of people who want piloting jobs will decrease and the dwindling supply of rated pilots will help increase pay.

Pilots' pride and self agrandizement will not, by itself, raise pay or respect for the profession. However, I agree that to be paid as professionals, we must dress, speak and fly like professionals. This much we can control.

Mooneymite.

 

[Bluto]

Agreed. However, I think the current trend in compensation is less a function of excessive numbers of willing and qualified applicants, and more due to the tendency of CEO's/CFO's to take the path of least resistance when trying to cut red ink. Suggesting that UAL and DAL have financial troubles because they paid their pilots too much is not just oversimplification, it misses the mark. Done properly, unions can exert enough pressure to keep companies honest, forcing them to be frugal in many aspects, instead of just one.

 

[TheDogsBollocks]

Lets not be too hard on the young girl her knees are probably all worn out.

But her tongue isn't, time to suck the big kahuna PGirl-so we pilots can get some piece and quiet!

 

[Jeff Helgeson]

Do you suspect cross dressing...

I fly to meet chicks. One mistake in a chain of many more to come. Is "pgirl" really "j3guy" reincarnated?

...or something more exteme?!

 

[gray eagle]

A quick scan shows that the employee unions at the majority of the legacy carriers are giving back and a lot more than just salary. Defined pension plans are slowly dieing, work rules are moving back in time, and personal time (time off) if diminishing quickly. The death of the defined pension plan impacts not only those expecting to receive the benefit, but those already receiving the benefit. It is pretty tough on the 70 year old retire UAL pilot that takes a perhaps 66% pension cut.

This trend is moving to the big three auto makers as well. In the not so distance future the unions there will start to make hard choices. All options will include more work for less pay and a lot less time off and the death of the defined pension benefit plan.

Is attacking employee compensation and benefits going to preserve the company? Good question. I certainly do not know.