Originally Posted by
SSlow
I agree with your points. Those born around 1980 seemed to have had it the worst in that regard. I know some who didn't clear six figures until upgrading at a ULCC in the last few years and those guys where in their late 30s. As far as myself, I finished flight school back in the 08/09 era and then worked in a restaurant for two years after until getting my first flying gig. The 90s babies who did the flight school > CFI > regional FO (incl. gigantic bonuses) track with no major gaps still kinda floors me to be honest, although good for them.
Even though I was never furloughed back then, one very important lesson I learned from those times was the value of seniority. I'm not knocking the legacies as they are excellent jobs, but they have ridiculously large size pilot groups and accruing any kind of seniority to be safe from furlough takes years if not decades. It is very much a gamble. Three years at a ULCC has put me halfway up the list and into the left seat, fairly safe from furlough at this point. I consider myself quite lucky.
Sorry to thread jack, but you bring up an important point.
Maybe this might be a good time to revisit the idea of "Seniority". Personally I don't think it's a good system. I can get behind a industry wide "seniority" so that the 777 captain doesn't have to start his/her entire career over at a new company. I think pay scales based on number of hours in a log book makes a heck of a lot more sense than what we have now. And makes companies work a lot harder to attract and retain talent. Much better for pilots. The way we have it now pilots can't jump ship for a better company that treats its employees better since they lose their "seniority" thus "seniority" works better for airline management than pilots.