Superdad

I get what you're saying but I disagree. It's not my fault I chose this career early or decided not to go to the military, then stay in for 20 years. You get hired, you climb as high as you can before 65, then if you want to fly until you die you go back to the right seat and back to the bottom of the list. If the company wants to pay you captain pay or some hybrid, that's on them.

We all had an expectation when we started this career and it should stay that way.

Packrat

Thank you, gentlemen. You are all correct.

At my place, normal retirement was Age 60 or 30 years service. You retired before that and you lost 7% of your pension PER YEAR early.

Entitlement generation speaks. Again, life isn't fair.

How about the guys who get hired by a major at 25 and upgrade in two years? When should they go to the bottom? At 40? You're ridiculous.

Again, unless you're 5 or 6 years old, Age 60 should be YOUR limit, too. That was the age limit when YOU started. Why should YOU expect to fly until 65.

In case you missed it, career "expectations" in the airline business don't mean squat.

Quit whining and grow up.

Flyinhigh

Guess I forgot to put that little sarcasm thingey at the end of my post. This business is based on seniority and anybody who wants to change that doesn't have a clue. Even if the rules change in mid stream seniority has got to be honored.

Sputnik

I had an expectation that I'd have a lucrative career of supermodels using my face for a bicycle seat.

No one cares though.

It's baffling that you think anyone would.

Sputnik

Some of us got it

Sputnik

Well, uh, whose fault is it then?

BenderRodriguez

If I had a nickel for every time I heard someone say "I'm leaving at 55" or "60", I would have a pretty big bag of nickels.

I realize that a large number have worked to retirement in the past, but I'll bet that has as much to do with the DB retirement plans that everybody had back then. You HAD to see it thru to the end or take a substantial penalty. NOW not so much but it is the other factor that is taking the forefront. Once the deadzoners are gone, there should be no financial reason to HAVE to work to 65, only the desire to do so, and in that there is no difference between young and old because they won't quit in the droves that some people want you to believe.

Spoiler

Or you could stop falling for the mgmt inspired and alpa supported "seat number" logic and pay everyone the same.
On topic what does a 12-18 yr pilot do differently than A 1st yr CA???

badflaps

Stands in the free cheese line?

azdryheat

I am one of those senior guys you think should go to the bottom.

Hired young, promised we would never furlough. On the street 11 months later. After 4.5 years came back on probation pay. Went on strike 6 months later. While on furlough, union signed b-scale contract and I made less than those hired before me doing the same job.

Union decides to do an ESOP and we take a huge pay cut to buy stock. At one point worth 500K, but can't touch until I retire.

Spend days off with the family since my projected retirement will be in the 150-180K per year range.

After filing bankruptcy, I get 7K for the stock. My pension now about 38K.

I have had it better than most. If you for one minute count on career expectations you are in the wrong business. Career expectations are what trips you can hold next month.

Tell you what. If you get my pension back to career expectations, you can have my number next month.

Still under 60 so don't know when I am going to retire. Like many have said, if I had a dollar for everyone who said they were leaving early, I wouldn't need to work.