Actually, the latest UAL pilot contract compares favorably with the 1966 rates. I recall a 1966 UAL pilot recruitment ad saying that their top Captains (then DC8-50 series) made $33K/year. Going to inflationdata.com inflation calculator shows that the 2016 pay equivalent would be $244,680/year. When United and Delta had DC8's and B767's in their fleet, both aircraft had identical pay rates. At todays $255 banded payrate for 753/762/763, UAL Captain would need to average 80 hours per month (actually 79.96) to equal his/her 1966 counterparts inflation adjusted pay.

Where todays pay rates are really deficient is when they are compared against the ~ 1975 - 2001 pay rates. I recall a splinter group AAL website of a few years ago listing the AAL B727-200 rates in 1977 being ~ $66/hour. One would have to make $261.64/hour in 2016 to equal their 1977 counterpart. For a proper apples to apples comparison, consider that B767 rates were ~ 10% greater than B727 rates throughout much of both aircrafts operational history. Below is listed what the B767 rates should be to equal their historical advantage over B727 pay, inflation adjusted 1977 rate.

$287.80/hr required: AAL B767= $249/hr. UAL B767= $255/hr.

13.5% shortfall , 11.5% shortfall, resp.

I plan to review 1985 inflation adjusted pay levels in a future posting.

 

In a lot of areas in the US, 200k/year can go a long way. (Midwest for sure in a lot of areas)

 

NO, not a chance without a real national union. Until then it will be one airline against another and without a national seniority list it will not happen. ALPA has been just a weak after thought since the 80's, but despite what some think ALPA wasn't destroyed by reagan and pals. It was suicide.

 

Yet, some of us make over a third of a million dollars a year. You guys need to pick better airlines to work for.

 

Who makes over a third of a million?

 

UPS makes it.

 

Because everyone can work for one airline. Everyone wins!

 

You have to play to have a chance at winning.

 

A lot of Delta guys will do it with profit sharing this year.

 

They key is to be able to do it without relying on a big variable like profit sharing.