Trip rigs are the solution to what you all have been whining about. The only thing I would like to see changed is to start getting paid when I show up at the gate, not when the parking brake drops. Since I HAVE to be at the gate 30 mins prior to departure, shouldn't I be getting paid for that? But the notion that I should be getting paid $30/hour while standing in line at Starbucks or Subway is a little over the top. Don't get me wrong, I would LOVE it but the part of me grounded in reality understands that it is not realistic.

Here is something to think about: most tipped employees in most states get paid a minimum wage that would make a sweatshop owner blush. In Texas for example, the wage for a tipped employee is $2.13/hr. The only time that employee makes more than that is when serving a customer and recieving a tip. Now I am not saying that a server or bartender is anywhere near as skilled as an airline pilot nor do they carry the same weight of responsiblity but the idea of earning potential tied to productivity is not unique to this industry.