Originally Posted by tsquare (Post 1585424)

You're still gonna be broke even if you get a 50% pay raise.

Originally Posted by sailingfun (Post 1585418)

What odds did he give you on a successful arrival?

Originally Posted by sailingfun (Post 1585415)

Looking at those numbers I hope and suspect they mean the average salary at the top paying airlines not the top salary. The artical did say the top scale FO at Virgin got 70,000 pounds. That would put the top Captains just over 100,000 lbs at Virgin.
Virgins payrates and liberal work rules have had a big negative effect on wages at BA much like SWA in the US.

Originally Posted by TheManager (Post 1585073)

I'll take an exception to this. My fellow pilots and I want some things that will cost the company $.

* Industry leading duty period average increased from our current 5:15 to 5:42(SWA). Eliminate the back side of the clock carve outs.

* Increasing vacation pay from 3:15 to the industry leading 6 (FDX). Sh!t, I'd even settle for 5 but don't tell them that.

* increasing training pay that is currently 3:45 to the industry leading 4:23 to 4:30 range (SWA & others).

* Oh, and the most important, obtaining a medical plan that is some what affordable. Reference Southwest Airlines PPO plan that comes in way below our plans.

Shiz, your response didn't seem to track with what PD and Check were writing. No one says we should demand they start "unprofitable operations" like that ridiculous 777 service from ATL to MCO.

What they are saying is that we need to negotiate and obtain benefits that will cost the company money. By nature, they will be less profitable. We will have to break some eggs to make this omelette.

They (Pd and check) are taking exception to those who believe that by merely asking and bargaining for such items as listed above, they will cost the company money, and thus they take it upon themselves to try and "tamp down our costs."

In order to have a truly industry leading contract that even gets close to getting our '96 wages back (adjusted for inflation) instead of C2k restoration, it is not going to be one of those "zero cost contracts" that management parrots to Wall Street. It's going to have an impact on their profitability.

Is that wrong?

Originally Posted by LivingTheDream (Post 1585552)

Currently in the middle of a Guam-o-rama and hearing rumors that the 73 will be replacing the 75, in the near future, for the beach flying. Anyone else hearing this? Hoping to avoid going back to that torture chamber before I retire... (at 6ft tall, "I got no where to go!", in that cockpit).

Originally Posted by forgot to bid (Post 1585587)

So DHD 737 crews over? Or is that Guam base coming?

How big is that darn island between us and UCAL there?

Originally Posted by ImTumbleweed (Post 1585583)

Manager,

I like the way you think.

Sadly, the DALPA crowd is out in full force to manage our expectations for the next contract.

I am actually afraid of the next round of negotiations because I am AFRAID of what DALPA is going to give up next time.

The problem is that DALPA thinks they hit a home run with the last contract. How do you change the mindset of an institution that thinks that way. Wish I had an answer.

Originally Posted by sailingfun (Post 1585338)

You might check on the pay at Virgin. Branson talks a good game but pays his people peanuts.

A study of average salaries by the Civil Aviation Authority put the top earners at British Airways (£107,600), followed by Virgin Atlantic (£89,500), Monarch (£80,100),Thomson Airways (£78,300), Thomas Cook Airlines (£75,200), Easyjet (£74,100), Jet2.com (£69,900) and bmi (£58,300).

Read more: Virgin strike: Sir Richard Branson sends letters to pilots | Mail Online

That means the top earner at Virgin made less then 150,000 as a 747 Captain in 2011.

Originally Posted by buzzpat (Post 1585405)

I don't know....I had Pete on a flight recently. Pretty underwhelming.