Originally Posted by
hoserpilot
On all but the widebodies, the FOs at Delta are making less than the senior ASA/CMR/Skywest.
Wrong again Joe!!! I was an 8 year guy at skywest. 400 outta 2700 when I left. I make the same in year two at Delta flying narrow bodies. I will make substantially more in year three. Upside pay potential at mainline ... stagnation at the commuters. Also have 16-17 days off just like the commuters. Oh, and a much larger contribution to my retirement. I will concede that job security as a junior guy was my main sticking point coming to a carrier just out of bankruptcy. A nice California base was also difficult to leave. Your pay argument will never cut it though.
There is another side to the pay argument not mentioned. The hourly pay rate is only one part of a contract. The Delta contract offers many ways to exceed your hourly rate. I flew recently with a copilot making 120 an hour who broke 200k last year. I normally figure that I will see about 1100 hours of pay per year and I don't fly that much extra. Things happen. Recently I had a trip bought and picked another trip up on top of it and got paid for both. Only worked 3 days but got 43 hours pay. Overtime now pays double if you choose to fly it. Pilots who know how to work the system can often generate 1400 hours or more pay in a year. That is going to be a lot harder this year with manning way up but everything goes in cycles in this industry and we will be undermanned again. Perhaps sooner then some think.
The last point on pay. Delta is flying under a 1113 forced contract. That ends in 2012!