I think you are right Columbia. Look at Lufthansa, they have Longevity Pay. The JUNIOR guys have to fly the 747 around the world on 14 day trips, while the SENIOR guys fly the 737 on shuttle type trips, in and out of Berlin. They show up at 8am, fly a few out and backs, go home every night, never even pack a suitcase.

For many years in the past the "Senior Trip" at DL was on the L10-11, it was the San Juan Turn. About 8hrs. out and back. You worked 10 days a month for 80 hours, slept in your own bed every night. I have several friends senior to me who are still flying the 767 Domestic just to fly those type trips. They want no part of ULR flying.

For many years, at Western Airlines, some of their most senior trips were on the 737, out and backs from SLC to all over Montana and Wyoming.

As I've said here many times, if we ever do go to a true Longevity Based Pay, I'll be off the 777 in a NY minute, and on to what ever goes to the Caribbean for 24 hour layovers on the beach!

I HATE ULR flying, but with our system, it pays the most, so I do it. But it is terribly boring. And we don't have much variety in where we go, (5 destinations, that's it) and oh yeah, we rarely even get a landing.

I'm one of those weirdo pilots who actually enjoy hand flying airplanes. I have to go beg my buds to let me fly their light airplanes on my off days, just to... satisfy my urges! I was out on my catamaran chasing a guy in a Quicksilver on floats this morning, looking for a ride! He said "next time" as he was about out of gas.