Widespread public distain of airline pilots (or lack of)

[deemee boosgkee]

To all of you who hold the belief that the public looks down on airline pilots, you might want to reconside that attitude.

Tonigh at a football game I was speaking to my buddy's girlfriend and and she was curious about the lifestyle of pilots as her uncle's friend flies for AA.

I went ahead and told her how much of a pay cut all the legacies took after 9/11 as well as the more than halving of airline pilot pay since deregulation when adjusted for inflation.

All I can say is she acted very surprised. She had the attitude that pilots ought to be making more now after 9/11 since the job has become that much more diffucult, demanding and stressful since that day.

When I reminded her that on top of that, one flunked sim check or 1st class medical could easily end a pilots career every 6 months, she continued to have that attitude that they pilots ought to be held in high regard, treated as professionals, and paid as such.



So what is up with the prevailing attitude with the pilots here as well as on apc.com and other forums that the general public doesn't respect them.

It just doesn't seem to fit the mold that the general public at large looks down on airline pilots. Sure there are some individuals who do but my converstion today seems in line with the prevailing wisdom IME when it comes to the general publics image of airline pilots.




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[B727Driver]

Respect us, maybe. Pay an appropriate price for an airline ticket, no. Everyone wants something for the lowest price at everyone's expense but theirs. (enter bottom feeders) Ask the general public "How much does a commuter pilot make?" They are always shocked at the answer. We raise airfares, they cry bloody murder. Sux!

 

[deemee boosgkee]

Respect us, maybe. Pay an appropriate price for an airline ticket, no. Everyone wants something for the lowest price at everyone's expense but theirs. (enter bottom feeders) Ask the general public "How much does a commuter pilot make?" They are always shocked at the answer. We raise airfares, they cry bloody murder. Sux!

Do you really think the public would even notice (much less respond to) a modest increase such as $10 on short flights and maybe $20-30 on longer domestic ones? I seriously doubt it. As it is now, the devitaion from the expected price is often so large that it easily would mask small increases.

Even if they were told point blank, the amount of revenue would more than likely increase at a far greater rate that the loss from fewer people flying. A perfect example is when in early 2004 gas was well under $2.00. Now it is over $3.00 and people have just gotten used to is. They HAVE NOT cut back on UNNECESSARY driving to any large extent. Instead they have just absorbed it and bickered then forgoten about it.


By the way, I see no other place but up for airline pilot pay in the future. We are just pulling out of a nose dive, there are fewer student pilot certs issued now than 10 yrs ago (less supply) and demand for air travel in the USA according to the International Air Transport Assoc. is suppose to increase by 5.3% annually until at least 2011 (more demand)!

Clearly this will only help pilots gain leverage in raising the bar for better pay in the future.

 

[jetexas]

727 driver is right.
The public will show surprise that so many pilots make less than school teachers. However, they will show even more surprise when they can't get that transcon ticket for 300 bucks.
The public won't bail us out. We have to do it ourselves.
I do think the perception is slowly changing, however the vast majority of people think we fly one flight a day and make at least 6 digits. I still find that amazing, but again they don't care.

 

[AA717driver]

The public is ALREADY paying an adjustment in the price for their tickets for increased pay. The problem is, the adjustment goes to management.

At least at AA, management compensation has increased over 700% since 1992. Pilot pay/compensation has decreased by 30% during the same period when adjusted for inflation and pay cuts.

The money is already there. It's just going to the wrong people. TC

 

[Long Time Gone]

T-O-N-G-U-E spells tongue. Fix your signature.

Drunks can also spell better, so you are a fake drunk. Shame on you.

 

[AlbieF15]

Demmee,

You left the part out about where you shagged her after the game...

 

[Ben Johnson]

Deemee,
Correct me if I am wrong but how much time have you spent flying the line, I going to take a wild guess not much. The econ was set for management to wage war against are wages. I would like to think that airline wages are stopping the down ward trend but there is alot more to it that a pilot shortage although many of wish it was that simple. The market value for a ticket is reflection on what we can get for pay. If they dont have the pilots cancle the flight and roll the pax to the next flight to pack it and make more $. This is only a small peace to the puzzle the other problem is how to move that market price up. Competitors and pricing, loss or gain of market share, and the list goes on. The public has no clue, some are getting it but in the end all they want is alot for so little...

 

[jmreii]

What you see, is what you get

 

[FlyFastLiveSlow]

Do you really think the public would even notice (much less respond to) a modest increase such as $10 on short flights and maybe $20-30 on longer domestic ones? I seriously doubt it.

Yes, they would. Because the press would report it.... immediately. Hell, I wouldn't even be surprised if it would lead a story that SHOULD be much bigger.