In my experience this is said by 3 types of people. Those hired by airlines who will never give them the chance, those that flew for crappy global cargo outfits, and those that are separating from the military thinking the legacy carrier long haul flying is the same as what they just got done doing.

I have met a vast number of people who sat right seat of the 747 and commuted until they retired the plane because of the lifestyle. In addition, I have only met one person who said they didn’t love the WB flying....and this dude was talking about aliens on the trip and how he does science experiments with crew meals so take that fwiw.

I see why guys get wrapped around the axle with the money equation, but it’s a fools discussion because you’re going to make lots of it at any legacy. Since this is a second career for most, seems to me the lifestyle is what one should decide on and chase that...but that’s just my opinion obviously because I don’t care about how much money is left in the bank when I die.