Originally Posted by
dosbo
How is the wage you are willing to work at up to me? You chose the contract you are working for and it is up to you to negotiate your wages and work rules to appropriate rates. You are flying "regional jets" that are as large as some old mainline aircraft, on routes that used to be mainline. Shouldn't you expect to get mainline wages? That is up to you.
Personally as a furloughee I have declined four jet for job offers because second year FO wage at any regional is just unacceptable compensation.
As an adult I have a family to support and a mortgage to pay, I don't have the luxury of working at an airline as a hobby.
I guess I should just accept that this career is doomed with the endless supply of new pilots willing to work for peanuts, and regional pilots still believing that the majors will be hiring soon. With the age 65 retirements I believe there will be a retirement of mainline aircraft as well with more outsourcing.
Good luck with your career at your regional, I hope you have chosen wisely.
My company gets whatever flying mainline management feels like throwing our way in any given month. It's also strictly governed by what's allowed under the mainline pilots' contract, so at least at one point in time, it was up to them.
My airplane is 1/3 the size of most mainline aircraft, so no, I never expected to get paid mainline rates. That said, when making my decision, I chose the company with the best contract, best work rules and best potential future (at that time anyway). Back then, Comair looked like a no-brainer. Now, not so much. We've been underbid repeatedly and lost flying, and, sad to say, we've voted in concessions ourselves and lost even more flying.
My career there will end in about a year, but I've chosen not to go to another regional. Not worth it. I hope to be leaving pax flying entirely, so I guess I can puff out my chest like you do for taking the high road.
I felt like I did my homework before jumping to the regionals, but expectations were a lot different then. Even so, most people don't see the industry for what it is until they're already in it.