Can airlines really afford to pay pilots more?
 

Serious question, not flamebating. It's obvious to me that most pilots blame management for their pay cuts and the current trend of decreasing pilot pay. However, with so many airlines going bankrupt the last couple of years, can many struggling airlines really afford to pay their pilots more?

I definitely believe that pilots should be well paid. But I also think that in the last couple of months with our economy taking a nose dive, a lot of people are going to suffer and that's unfortunately just a fact of life. These forums show how frustrated many pilots are with their careers( and they have every right to be IMO) but MANY other careers are facing the same problems now. Many doctors will tell you that it's not the same career it used to be. ATC used to be a pretty solid gig, but from what I have heard, in the last few years they have seen their pay cut quite a bit too.

I think the biggest thing that pilots have beef with is CEO's getting huge bonuses while pilots get paid less and less.

Go here and spend a few hours with the data, click on each category to see the numbers: Airline Data Project


It isn't just a simple question of how much they can afford to pay. Ultimately, the answer lies in how much money they are making. Cutting costs and pricing to gain a little market share may not bring profits, but this is the plan most have followed in the last decade.

The question is: How can an airline make more money?

They can give millions to board members for poor management choices.
They can sell tickets far below anything capable of meeting costs simply to maintain market share.
They can sell tickets at places like priceline and expedia (owned oddly enough, by the airlines)
They can continue to run inefficient hub and spoke systems.
They can continue to add frequency versus operating larger aircraft.

Yes, they can afford to pay the pilots more.

There is also the concept that it costs what it costs. Do the airplanes all of a sudden become cheaper to operate when the economy crashes? My bills don't change, the mortgage is still due. Do we fly with less attention to safety than during those time of good economic standing?

It costs what it costs to move the airplane from point A to B. Things like GPUs, quick turns, musical parts, etc are all good.

It costs what it costs.

In addition to the above named things. All valid points. If EVERYONE, from the top down decided to go out on a limb, that is one thing. But, cutting labor costs, robbing pensions, etc, will do nothing but cause more and more problems. People must be rewarded for their work, for it is this work that will cause one airline to succeed over another.