So you want a raise!
 

Then start pushing for reregulation , deregulation has been a dismal failure if you need proof check out how many years airlines have been profitable since the act was passed.
This might be something for ALPA to start pushing instead of infighting !:cool:

Does anyone have an idea how many airplanes are in operation today in the US airline industry versus in the late '70's?

My guess (based upon no empirical data) is that the wages were much higher under regulation, but there were FAR fewer pilots employed.

Now don't try bringing economics into a discussion about big goverment regulation. The Soviets ignored economics and they turned out...just...whoops

Yes and now there are more ppl flying so it schould have been able to balance itself out But WE HAVE BUS FARES INSTEAD OF AIRFARES !:eek:




Life is tough its even tougher if your stupid.

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE just read one book on economics before you make crazy assertions like this. Government regulation will never be better than free market economics. Does that mean the market will ever bear us making 250,000 working 6 days a month again? I don't know, but government regulation of anything is never the way to go for a long (or even short)-term fix.

Flame bait: next thing you'll say is that we should have government-run healthcare...

Therein lies the problem. Let's get down to brass tacks...many of us would not have entered this profession had it not been for the expectation of a HUGE payoff at some point.

As it stands now, that payoff no longer exists. We simply must find a way to get it back. I'll listen to any argument, including re-regulation, if it "Shows me the money!!"

The problem is that re-regulation will only, "Show me the money!!," if I'm one of the lucky few who gets to keep my job when the government divvies up the routes and creates virtual monopolies to push fares up higher.

Honestly, re-regulation would probably result in a large portion of us having to make a forced career change, without that payoff we all so dearly seem to want at all costs.

What we needed was for the bankruptcy laws and courts to be used properly and not as a shield every time an airline manager figures out that they cannot run their company. It sucks to say it, but had a couple of airlines not hid behind the laws, the industry would be in much better health these days.

Hasn't worked that way.

Many of the planes end up in different colors. The employees, including the pilots, become available for some new LCC - usually at lower pay, which puts more downward wage pressure on those who think it's going to be beneficial to them.

Agree; but many of the problems we see today are due to the fact that airlines were never totally deregulated. Bankruptcy laws also are part of the problem. When airlines declare bankruptcy, then the CEO and higher management pocket millions; thats not free market. As a matter of fact that is more corrupt than what communism enabled.

Also, our labor is not subject to free market behavior either. Especially when it comes to changing companies and seniority, and striking.

Umm, even the chinese commies are deregulating their airlines...we won't be seeing the return of regulation here. You'd have a better chance of spotting ornstein at an Aloha reunion.