Originally Posted by
captjns
Hey... don't blame management for offering low wages. They are doing their shareholders good by keeping expenses down. You need to blame the sheep willing to fly for hay.
This is exactly who should be held accountable, don't take the damn job, if they can't get anyone to fly they will have to increase the wages to attract qualified flight crews.
Originally Posted by
stinsonjr
This is a question that is a riddle to me. I understand wanting in on the ground floor, and having a one or two digit seniority number. I also understand that flying for nothing hurts everyone.
What is the consensus about this - obvioulsy SWA did not offer great wages in the 70's and 80's. The pilots took the job, worked for less than they would have made at Pan Am, TWA, Eastern, Braniff, etc, but are now VERY well paid, and looked at much differently - they made a wise choice. While I agree that there is something very cheesy about Skybus, what about VA? I can see a reasonable, if entreprenaurial pilot saying "yeah, first year pay blows...but it is Richard Branson, and he has done exceptionally well with the things he has touched...". This, in my view, would be a reasonable business decision for the individual to make. To what extent should protecting the industry play a part in that decision? For you old timers, how were SWA pilots viewed in 1976? 1986? Were they accused of driving "the race to the bottom"?
I mean these as serious questions, not to start a flame fest. Thanks in advance for your answers.
stinsonjr I'd like a crack at this. The problem here is the underlying myth that Southwest pilots are well paid. The truth is they are well paid by todays standards because they lowered todays standards. Don't get me wrong here, I'd work for southwest in a minute because from what I know its a great company to work for. That being said when the other "major airlines" had to lower the pilots wages to compete Southwest wages suddenly rose to the top.
This is the problem with allowing forgein control airlines to operate here in the states. It's going to lower the bar further and is a classic example of history repeating itself. This to me is the frustrating part about the whole issue. People are putting the blinders on for immediate self gratification.
I don't even know where to find a wage qoute from the mid 1990's maybe some of the more "experienced pilots" can jump in here but I'd say that the major airlines used to pay much better than Southwest does today. Look at the pilots flying boxes, making more than anybody for the hour.
Thats my take, I am no expert and would be willing to hear a more educated answer to the lads question.