Virgin America Pay Increase .... AGAIN.
 

Based on the following post, I am clearly a VX pilot; so maybe I am biased too far in one direction with my views as a result. That said, please forgive the following rant folks ......... but I have to say :-)

I'm a little baffled by all the flack that seems to head VX's way on this forum about pay. Am I just missing something or what? First off, VX has just approved their second pilot pay increase in a year. With no union assistance and no pressure from the employees. Any kind of increase in this economy, that was unsolicited from the crews is amazing!

Speaking of low jet pay, wasn't it the Legacy's and their legitimizing of the commuters that started the new age of paying jet pilots $16/HR? NOT VX or any other low cost carrier. So please don't talk to me about "pilots that fly for free" when your airline(s) started this mess for all of us that came after you. Talk about throwing people under the bus and then complaining why they got ran over?!?! Seriously?

It would be wonderful if every pilot in the country was paid $450 an hour, but how long did it take for SouthWest and more recently JetBlue to get decent pay rates? JetBlue took 10 years! Those people that complained about airlines like SouthWest are now looking up at them from below! VX is a four year old airline people; relax and see what happens down the road will ya. Any airline that gives unsolicited raises, seems to at very least be heading in the right direction toward staff salaries.

FYI ...... after 4 years VX pilots are already on par or better than airlines that have been around for 80 years. (USAirways and United). Not to mention a handful of Majors. Anyone giving those guys grief about their pay at those two legacies? They should after 80 years of negotiations and contracts and that's all they are earning!! Now THAT'S a disgrace! If VX is paying a 16 year Captain $125/hr in a decade from now, please demolish their name all you want; because that's what USAir is paying now. At least after just 4 years VX is already up to $133/hr for 10 year and that increases effective on June 1st.

One last thought.......... did every major and legacy in this country start day one of operations with a pilot union in place? Or did it take 5,10, 20+ years depending on the situation, relations and other factors?

............ I thought so.

Can't we all just get along?! :-) Geeeeeez.

Rant over, I apologize!

The Lady doth protest too much, me thinks.

I'm not sure what the point is of this post. Are you insecure being at Virgin America and looking for approval? Do you want to brag that you just received a pay increase?

LOLOLOL....thanks for that!

I wouldn't lose too much sleep over what a bunch of keyboard commandos think about your airline. VA seems like a great pace to work, and I hope things keep getting better for you all. If I had the time I would apply yesterday.

Just remember that most pilots are regular people and are probably indifferent to all the drama that takes place on these forums...they just have better things to do than post here.

Well, just FYI do you have a clue why United, USAir and (to a lesser extent) Delta have such crappy narrowbody pay rates? Its because the bankruptcy court abrogated their contracts and imposed the jetBlue pay rate ($129) that was in effect at the time. A pay rate only operable because a bunch of pilots turned their back on the profession and jumped at the chance for an early upgrade. Naked self-interest, if you will.

Same thing Virgin and Allegiant pilots are doing today. Undercutting Union contract rates and usually darn proud of it.

Ya think?

How many captains are on 10th year captain payscale at VX?

Fish
for what its worth I hope your airline and mine are still intact in about 5 years! I don't think Alaska,Virgin or Jet blue will be aaround at least with there name on it. This industry is in the tank and only getting worse...

Let me guess..ZERO. In fact, the highest paid VX pilot is knocking down a SWEET $110 an hour. That's less than QX RJ Captains.

But, VX apologists LOVE to look at the top of the pay scale and make their comparisons from that.

Nothing like trying to compare oranges and road apples.

In fact your wrong a few of the early pre launch have an elevated payrate and are at $129. Show me 1 regional captain making $110 without 10 plus years at the company. Eventually there will be nothing to write about. JB and SWA got all the same heat and since most of us were furloughed or prior airlines went out of business we really are not concerned with what everyone thinks.