Originally Posted by Danzig

Thank you Delta1067.

So, according to the CPI, $22,000 in 1995 is equivalent to $33,713.99 in 2013. The difference is roughly $1,000 per month in equivalent purchase power. In other terms, a significant difference in QOL.

In 1995, a new hire at XJ was likely flying the nineteen seat SW4 or thirty-seven seat DHC-8. In 2013, a new hire at 9E (XJ) is flying either the fifty seat CRJ-200 or the roughly seventy seat CRJ-900. A new hire at 9E is currently making a base annual salary of $22,500.

$22,500 in 2013 is equivalent to $14,682.33 in 1995. A loss of $7,817.67 based on inflation. Assuming the pilot in 1995 was assigned the SW4 he was making an assumed $1.16 per flight hour, per seat. A 2013 CRJ-200 new hire at 9E is making $0.44 per flight hour, per seat. A 2013 CRJ-900 new hire at 9E is making $0.31 per flight hour, per seat.

If a 2013 CRJ-900 new hire at 9E was making $1.16 per flight hour, per seat he would be making $81,200 in 2013 dollars.

In eighteen years, not only did regional pilots lose out due to inflation, but they lost 73.3% of their salary versus seat-hour value. (CRJ-900)