Originally Posted by
ShyGuy
FOs and maybe some junior Captains. But a senior guy who is topped out at the new -200 max rate of 77/hr is still making 80 grand or more. So if this guy quits, how is he going to supplement his income back to what he was making? I see the junior side bailing, senior side....?
Well, since you asked. I just turned in my resignation a week ago and I'm a 13 year 900 captain.
However, I can do it because I continued my professional development over the past 7 years and I decided that my time, my quality of life and my family is worth more than $86 per hour in the airline world.
I got my MBA, PMP and PMO and am now interviewing for jobs that
start at $80,000 per year with most of them between $100k -140k.
To all of you who believed that you didn't need advanced education to safely fly airplanes, I agree. You don't. However, if you want to be in a position of leverage in any negotiation, education goes hand in hand with skill and experience. When you are more marketable, you are worth more and can demand more.
I'm not saying any of this to be condescending, braggadocious or anything similar. I can only share with you this thought; having options is a tremendous feeling. I will
never be in a postion where I feel like I
have to stay with empolyer again due to circumstances that I can't control. I highly suggest continued professional development to all pilots.
BTW, I'm 42 and married with a child. It can be done and it's never too late.
It was a pleasure flying with all of the Mesaba folks from 2000 on and I was looking forward to flying with the Pinnacle and Colgan folks.
Good luck to all of you and I wish nothing but the best.