I think everyone is assuming too much and forgetting a few things.

1. Does he have great QOL? I know of this company he flies for and QOL is relative to the person. If you are single with no kids and want girlfriends all over the world then spending 25 days a month in hotels in some foreign country would be the greatest life. However for guys like myself who likes to be home at least 15 days a month with his kids, id rather work the 80-90 hours a month for that.

2. Decent pay? See above. I can certainly go overseas and make 3 times what im making here. However, that would mean i leave my kids to be raised by some other man cause sure in hell my wife isn't going to be sticking around for me.

3. Personal Happiness? What makes you happy may not make me happy. That's a definition to be left to the individual. My happiness is taking my sons on the boat fishing on the weekends 12 months out of the year. (Pays to live in MIA)

4. Operating around the world. I would rather travel around the world on my own time and not when im working. I think I have the satisfaction of leaving my phone off and not worrying about the company calling me to work.

5. 737 typed? Big deal. Only pilots with delusions of flying for SW care about that. So you have a 73 type, that doesn't mean you have a job at SW. I've got 5 type ratings and not one of them got my current job. Maybe the collective experience or type ratings gave me an edge? Maybe not.

Don't get me wrong, im not downplaying your points. You make great points, but its relative to the individual.