Originally Posted by
LAX Pilot
For many years UAL had 7 equipment ranks, each one paid different amounts. This was the order from highest to lowest paying.
747-400
DC-10
777
767-757
A320/319
727
737-300 <--Guppy
Since the 737 was the smallest paying aircraft, (two payscales below the Airbus) we called it the Guppy. Not sure if other airlines did the same.
Its just a name that carried on.
But now the payrates are different, the 737-700 pays the same as the 319 and the 737-8-9-9er pays the same as the 320, 321, 757-200. It has been great to see some flying come back to the 737. Due to the combined passengers of both airlines into many small markets, the 737 has taken back many markets from the RJ's! RIC, ROC, BUF come to mind! Let's realize that this is a good trend, or we can carry the old mindset of 'too small to fly at mainline' and continue to degrade the mainline profession. I have flown with many guppy FO's that have been making 20-30k these months (Yes, I saw pay screens!) plus b-fund and only flying 80ish hrs but crediting close to 200. Don't discount the 737, and let's try and make RJ's the new guppy at mainline!