Originally Posted by
Jetjok
Interesting topic, given the fact that pilots have been complaining for years about "shrinkage" in their pay and benefits. If you think you've taken it in the shorts, you need to take a further look at the medical profession, specifically Medical Doctors. I'd wager an adult beverage that over the past 15 years, they've taken a larger hit than we have. As well, when someone like 1215Fuzz (or you or I for that matter) visits a doctors office, the charge that is billed, has all the other expenses associated with that office, built in. Charges such as staff, rent, utilities, non-reusable materials, hazardous waste removal fees, office insurance, malpractice insurance, etc, etc. To make matters worse (for the Doctors), they have to submit to our insurance companies, who have negotiated with the doctors, prices for given procedures. So maybe that office visit really cost $300, but because of the doctor-insurance company relationship, the doctor only charged $260. Now if the insurance pays the full $260, you're free and clear, but if they don't, then you're on the hook for the additional $40, above and beyond your deductible.
Just for reference, here's a link to physician salaries. I think you'll be quite surprised, as most of our senior pilots make that or more.
Physician Salaries, Average Physician Salary, Doctor Salary - PayScale
JJ
You're spot on. Doctor retention is becoming a major problem and it is much worse then us. Could really get worse in the years to come. Look at the obgyn segment of their profession alone.
As far as that salary survey it reminds me when you see the same surveys with airline pilots. You'd be under the impression we all make $150,000 a year. What screws up numbers like this (when you're talking about airline pilots) you've got like 11,000 AMR pilots and 2,700 AE pilots. If you come up with the median salaries of the combined group the numbers would make you think its a high paying job when in reality its a decade at low pay to get a starting job at higher pay.
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I agree with some of the other posts, it sucks there are pilots willing to fly for nothing because they love what they do. Well, not actually nothing, there are places in this industry that pay well even if it is half of what it used to be or worth putting up with the bad to one day get to the good.
But that is beside the point, really all of these pilots who are here because they enjoy it are screwing the rest of us who are only here for the money and out of our civic duty to provide our awesome piloting skills to the well being of the traveling public. I think if you like being an airline pilot you ought to quit. Especially if you are senior to me.
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FWIW, I did quit the airline industry for 2+ years after 6 years 121. I pulled the trigger. And where am I now? I'm back. Saw the other side and I swear there is nothing better than this side as long as you're at a good place and you like being there.