Go Back  Airline Pilot Central Forums > Pilot Lounge > Money Talk
Reason for low pay for pilots >

Reason for low pay for pilots

Notices
Money Talk Your hard-earned money

Reason for low pay for pilots

Old 05-16-2008, 10:41 AM
  #1  
Line Holder
Thread Starter
 
Joined APC: Nov 2006
Position: Instructor
Posts: 74
Default Reason for low pay for pilots

What do you think is the reason that pilot pay isn't what it used to be? I was talking to some friends of mine, they were saying that the deregulation of the airlines had something to do with it. What's your opinion?
Brian3613 is offline  
Old 05-16-2008, 01:06 PM
  #2  
Gets Weekends Off
 
JMT21's Avatar
 
Joined APC: Jan 2006
Posts: 305
Default

Originally Posted by Brian3613 View Post
What do you think is the reason that pilot pay isn't what it used to be? I was talking to some friends of mine, they were saying that the deregulation of the airlines had something to do with it. What's your opinion?
Like most things in life, it is 100% supply and demand.
JMT21 is offline  
Old 05-16-2008, 01:22 PM
  #3  
Kerbal Rocket Surgeon
 
Phuz's Avatar
 
Joined APC: Dec 2007
Position: DTW 717A
Posts: 1,099
Default

I think the way seniority works is largely to blame. The way the system is set up now I can either take a 'concession' or go look for work and start at year 1 pay and seniority at another airline (IF i even find another job).
Phuz is offline  
Old 05-16-2008, 06:11 PM
  #4  
Gets Weekends Off
 
Senior Skipper's Avatar
 
Joined APC: Jan 2008
Position: the correct seat
Posts: 1,422
Default

I agree with Phuz. The seniority system is causing most of the trouble. I'm not in an airline yet, but I intend to do some research on the pros/cons of a national seniority list. From the little I know about it, it seems like an excellent idea, but there must be some reason it's not implemented yet...
Senior Skipper is offline  
Old 05-18-2008, 06:57 AM
  #5  
A moment please...
 
JetPiedmont's Avatar
 
Joined APC: Sep 2007
Position: Just passin' thru
Posts: 769
Default

Originally Posted by Senior Skipper View Post
I agree with Phuz. The seniority system is causing most of the trouble. I'm not in an airline yet, but I intend to do some research on the pros/cons of a national seniority list. From the little I know about it, it seems like an excellent idea, but there must be some reason it's not implemented yet...
In the late 70's, as deregulation was approaching, there were many ALPA council members and pilots and who saw this problem coming, and asked ALPA National to address the issue with a national seniority list. Needless to say nothing was done, and now we have a real mess on our hands.
JetPiedmont is offline  
Old 05-18-2008, 10:33 PM
  #6  
Line Holder
Thread Starter
 
Joined APC: Nov 2006
Position: Instructor
Posts: 74
Default

I'm just really having a heck of trouble deciding if I want to persue an airline career or not. Its been my dream for awhile, but now with the economy in the dump and the price of oil rising with no end in sight, I'm really starting to wonder if it would be a wise career path.
Brian3613 is offline  
Old 05-19-2008, 05:42 AM
  #7  
Gets Weekends Off
 
tomgoodman's Avatar
 
Joined APC: Feb 2006
Position: 767A (Ret)
Posts: 6,248
Default Is it really worse now?

Originally Posted by Brian3613 View Post
I'm just really having a heck of trouble deciding if I want to persue an airline career or not. Its been my dream for awhile, but now with the economy in the dump and the price of oil rising with no end in sight, I'm really starting to wonder if it would be a wise career path.
Obtaining and keeping a high-paying airline job has always been a long shot. The difference today is that low-paying airline jobs are plentiful, resulting in a lot of disgruntled pilots instead of disappointed non-pilots. It may sound worse now, because those who missed the brass ring in the past would just disappear into another career field, and not join a forum like APC (which didn't exist then anyway).
tomgoodman is offline  
Old 05-19-2008, 06:30 AM
  #8  
Gets Weekends Off
 
cfii2007's Avatar
 
Joined APC: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,213
Default

The airlines, unlike the cargo and corporate world, essentially wh*re themselves for revenue. Since deregulation, the average airfare has dropped dramatically resulting in more airlines, more flights and more cheap seats.

Of course who needs respectable pay and quality of life when you can soak in the glamour of flying a regional jet for poverty wages?
cfii2007 is offline  
Old 05-22-2008, 11:55 PM
  #9  
Gets Weekends Off
 
jonnyjetprop's Avatar
 
Joined APC: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,408
Default

Sage advice for someone who's been around. I've looked at it this way. The commuters were the "minor leagues" and the mainline carriers were the "major league" (I'm going for a baseball anaolgy here). The problem is that the folks who run the airlines figured out that it was better to expand the minors at the expense of the majors. The pilot unions let them do it and the customers didn't see a difference. The worst is over since pilots won't work for the minors very long, if they don't see a chance to get into the majors.

Originally Posted by tomgoodman View Post
Obtaining and keeping a high-paying airline job has always been a long shot. The difference today is that low-paying airline jobs are plentiful, resulting in a lot of disgruntled pilots instead of disappointed non-pilots. It may sound worse now, because those who missed the brass ring in the past would just disappear into another career field, and not join a forum like APC (which didn't exist then anyway).
jonnyjetprop is offline  
Old 05-23-2008, 07:04 PM
  #10  
Gets Weekends Off
 
Joined APC: Jul 2006
Position: DA-40
Posts: 290
Default

Originally Posted by tomgoodman View Post
Obtaining and keeping a high-paying airline job has always been a long shot. The difference today is that low-paying airline jobs are plentiful, resulting in a lot of disgruntled pilots instead of disappointed non-pilots. It may sound worse now, because those who missed the brass ring in the past would just disappear into another career field, and not join a forum like APC (which didn't exist then anyway).
Great analysis.... I think that you are right. There are many more guys who are flying today (although at lower pay) that in the past would have never seen a cockpit. Look at the numbers of airline pilots in the US when the pay was supposedly really high----
MalteseX is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Raidr17
Military
20
03-26-2014 12:45 PM
captain_drew
Flight Schools and Training
38
12-05-2012 08:29 AM
BNUT
Military
97
10-14-2008 04:11 PM
ToiletDuck
Major
13
03-03-2008 02:56 PM
Realistic
JetBlue
13
05-25-2005 08:51 AM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On


Thread Tools
Search this Thread
Your Privacy Choices