Originally Posted by Meworry?
So which is it? Are you fed up, or very happy? Are you making the "big bucks" or "enjoying a lower standard of living?" Deregulation has been great for the average guy, though not for the legacy carrier pilots. More people can afford to travel, there are more jobs, and more choices. And, as companies like JB grow, it will get even better because we provide a better product than older LCCs. I make about $126/ hour, by the way, depending on how much I fly, and I expect we will get better pay in the future. I get 16-17 days off a month, and I can work more if I want to make more. If Jetblue is profitable, then we all make more, both in profit sharing and stock options and, I believe, higher pay. If it's not profitable (like now) then we won't do as well, but that is true for Neeleman as well, and we still have jobs. If I had to commute, or did not get the days off, I would find something else to do. Some pilots make life miserable for themselves with personal choices, because they will accept anything to fly. That's not me. If you can't work for less than 180, then don't! You're an educated guy, I'd wager. Get a real job. We'll let the market decide who the winners and losers are. I bet if you worked here, you would have a different point of view.
I think I speak for the majority of non JB pilots lurking on this (sub) forum that we hope JB pilots set the standard for pilot compensation and benefits in the future. Its in no one's interest to see pilot comp go down, regardless if its a legacy, LCC, cargo or what have you. It is a little distrubing reading JB guys on the forum flying 110+ (credit) hours a month, boasting about their W2's as if making 200K while short changing their time at home with the ones that love and depend on them.
We all have a stake in the game. I assure you unless NWA, UAL, DAL, CAL and everyone else just goes away there will be a competive makeplace that JB, Spirit and every other LCC will have to compete against. If worker pay and benefits decide the winner and losers, we will all lose in the end.
Your lack of union represention will, at some point, effect weather you are part of the rebuilding of this industry or the cause of its (from a pilot perspective) demise. Sure ALPA carriers are taking it in the shorts right now but at least the pilots are part of the process, not just handed a new book when management decides to reward or reduce comp. Looking at your pay and benefits as posted in the pay section doesn't give an outsider a warm a fuzzy abou the future of our profession. Remember, overtime is not a pay raise
Times may be good at JB right now but every dog has his day. I hope you all are savy enough to realise that a sucessful winning formula is quickly emulated, weather by the "old dogs" or the young and new. Set the standard to reach up to not what if will fall to.