Originally Posted by
iahflyr
How exactly does Southwest define a "trip"?
IIRC, it had something to do with the flight time from DAL-HOU, which is like :55. One trip (or :55 minutes of flying) payed $77.50. So converted to hours, one hour pays $88.
If this is correct (or something very similar), then the APC rates are completely correct. The problem with your analysis is you are comparing BLOCK hours flown to pay per trip. You are essentially including trip/duty rigs and such into hourly pay. If we took some senior legacy international pilot, or some super senior guy on reserve who bids not to fly, using your method, I am sure they would be making $400 - $500 an hour. But that is not how the system works.
I agree. I can tell you that between 1994 and 2005, when I was a narrow body F/O with a legacy carrier, I flew 6,148 hrs "hard time" averaging 512 hours per year. I was paid total W-2 of $1,356,000 averaging $113,000 per anum.
That averaged out to $220.00 per hour, based on a pay rate that averaged out to $110 per hour, so I was effectivly paid at twice my contractual rate when payday rolled around.
I always flew to the pay cap of 85 hours per month pay and credit. Why not?
Needless to say we had tight duty rigs, fat minimum day rig, great sick and vacation provisions, and training (especially initials) paid extremely well right up until the post 9-11 bankruptcy contract was implimented.
Just an example of "the way it used to be"...
JP