Keep Age 60
 

One of the things I've noticed in the current Age 60 debate is that the guys that want Age 60 moved to Age 65 or whatever usually site that Age 60 is discriminatory.

If Age 60 is age discrimination, isn't Age 65 also? Simply sliding out a "discriminatory" barrier a few more years still leaves the same.

I know we're living longer and the industry now sucks {both points always were possibilities in this game}, but I feel it's changing the rules a little too late in the 4th quarter.

A few more years of Captain earning power due to this industry down cycle? Greed.

...........

and as if 5 more years of making six digits will make the difference for our senior captains. Haven't you been saving all along for the magic year of 60?

If anything, making that kind of buck creats a SPENDING problem in your household. That's the real problem, and you don't need legislative intervention to fix it!

Greed pure and simple. We all got into the airlines knowing that at 60 we would be retiring. I shouldn't have to pay for poor planning by someone else.
The other thing I don't think people realize is that we as pilots won't have control over what the requirements would be to fly past 60. The FAA could say, "Fine, you want to fly past 60. Then you're going to have to submit to all of these extra tests at your own expense(ie. there are only two locations in the country that can conduct them and it'll cost $1000) every 6 mo. to keep you first class medical."

Age 60 Rule
 

As a very junior just off the bubble First officer,
I can not state how important it is TO RETIRE AT 60.
or EARLIER.
At our place the "A" fund is as good as well gone.

Many may not see it but it is already been on the butchers
chopping block.

In my case I KNOW not to expect any decent retirement package.
On the other hand If I would have 25/30 years under my belt,
I would be elbowing my way to the FRONT of the early out line.

My point is to get what is RIGHTFULLY yours cash the check
and have a great life.
Wait around much longer and I will see you back at the FBO wearing
the T-Shirt. I WILL FLY FOR FOOD!

The writing is all over the wall, start now, get what is yours.
wait a while and get nothing.
Its your call my friends

I can see the point that both parties have and i can agree with both
As a relative young crewmember I am not banking on any kind of retirement worth talking about, but what about some of those that had the carpet pulled from their feet in recent years? How many senior captains are at risk of not getting the reteriment they have worked for, shouldn`t they get a chance of securing something for thei future?
I know that increasing the retirement age would slow down growth and upgrades, but if those extra 5 years make the difference between making Captain or not, well, maybe we are guilty of poor planning too, or all the elbowing we have done has not paid off as it should.
We could leave it to the individuals, those who have a strong bank account might just be waiting for the firetruck on the parking rump, while others might just have a chance to avoid the meat counter at Publix.

Here's the real bottom line: ALPA has basicly given up the fight to retain the Age 60 rule. Why?

Furloughs, pay cuts and downsizing have cut the ALPA National budget by 30%ish. Gotta keep those high dues guys' money coming in for another 5 years.

Keep age 6
 

Keep it! No fly till you die!

No . .65 is NOT age discrimination BECAUSE it has been the agreed upon, standard retirement age for normal people for a LONG time. To treat pilots different than other, normal people IS discrimination, pure and simple!

I think the GREED lies in the young guys, slobbering all over themselves for the promotion they get by booting the old guys out of their seats.

Obviously, folks like the writer above have no consideration or empathy for the myriad fellow pilots who found themselves out on the street, with NO seniority or retirement when Eastern, Braniff, PanAM, National, Frontier, Capital, People, yada. yada. . went tits up.

There are a LOT of our peers who had to start ALL over again and will hit Age 60 without enough longevity or vesting to make for a comfortable retirement. I really don’t think wanting to ‘make up’ for bad luck and fly another 5 years equates to greed!

I must agree with you Drew.I fly at a non-sked freighter outfit and so many of the guys here have been furloughed, or worked at companies that went out of business or had other hard luck. The retirement package here is zip. Its easy to be judgemental when you have a 20 or 30 year package from Swa or some other decent place to work, but for the guys in the bottom of the trenches we may need some more time if even just to get some medical benefits a little longer.