Sorry....I took the bait and vented my frustration.
Unfortunately, reading comprehension is not required for boards like this and even if it were, sometimes the true meaning or emotion can be misconstrued in written messages.
I am in no way a friend or fan of our current executive management. Quite the opposite actually. I'd never consider a mangement position because if you think the pilot wages are bad....the mangement wages at SAI are even worse. Many Captains make more then the VP of Ops. Even the executive bonuses pale in comparison to a larger, well run company like Atlas.....as they should. Plus, you are never truly free as a Flight Ops manager at SAI.
Because I am senior at SAI I do have some clarity. Right now we have a bunch of FO's who could be Boeing captains within a few months. There is no reason for them to stay on the 777 unless they are very close to Upgrade on the 777. They need to move on with their careers and recent PIC time is far, far more valuable then a bunch of laps around the planet in the 777. They have checked that box! Take the upgrade.
Furthermore, by taking the upgrade you will be doubling SAI's training costs. If you let the company hire a direct entry B737 Captain beneath you that is one training event. We are very close to that. Nobody likes to see direct entry captains unless there is such rapid growth that all of the eligible FO's have already upgraded.
If you upgrade from B777 FO to Captain on the B737 then staffing requires a new pilot to backfill your spot on the 777. That is two training events. When you find a better job that starts the cycle all over again. Doubling training costs will get noticed eventually! The execs and the BOD might finally institute some changes to improve the life of the B737 pilots to help with retention. Money is how you negotiate...not complaining on APC! I want to see improvements for the pilots at SAI. THAT IS MY UNDERLYING MESSAGE.
There can be no emotional involvement in wage & QOL improvements. It is all about $ and negotiating. FDX and UPS are where they are because they fought for everything they have. If you are not willing to actually put some skin into the game you will get nothing. There are plenty here on APC who put down SAI but they never fought the fight at their current "better" airline. They were simply hired at the right time and benefitted from the hard work of others.
If you accept a job at SAI, or any other airline, you should think of this.
As with ANY job. If you are unhappy you have four choices:
1)Pack your bags and get hired where you are better paid/appreciated
2)Work to improve your current conditions
3)$TFU and accept what you have
4)Yip & yap like a little chihuahua that everybody ignores until somebody gets frustrated and kicks that dang dog over the fence.
My personal opinion is that unless you choose choice 1 or 2 then option 3 applies. Nobody likes somebody who chooses 4. It's tiresome. I don't see any other choices. Do you?
There are plenty of current/former SAI pilots, friends of friends who worked at SAI, and the ever present Internet-Know-It-Alls to bash SAI. I try to give a realistic view of what life as a SAI 777 pilot is like. From my point of view...other than being underpaid...life is pretty simple. For those that disagree, feel free to post your actual horror story of what has happened to you in the last 12 months while on line at SAI. The SAI of old is just that....old and a good war story over beers. We are talking the last 12 months. This is the info potential new hires need to make an informed decision.
I want to see quality new hires. We need you. However, if you are not willing to contribute please look elsewhere. As I have posted previously. Southern can be a good option for the right people. Come here, get the experience you need, and then make the decision to stay or move on.