exhausting hours for meagre wages
#11
Great Article, this needs to be published in USA Today. I like how it references wages. In all reality that is what is wrong w/ the industry low wages for regional FO's. It needs to be addressed more than anything. Under $20K for an airline pilot with people's lives literally in your hands is unacceptable.
#12
Wages may need to be addressed, but you've noticed (even in this article) the Feds and ALPA have both started steering the issue to more of a training problem than a pay problem. My guess is that the low wages issue will be squashed by the RAA and ATA in exchange for a week longer in training.
I want more money, but at the end of the day, I want to go home in one piece, and I want the guy/gal next to me to be up to snuff. And higher standards will eliminate some people: eventually higher standards should lead to higher pay.
#13
IF our goal really is SAFETY, then better training may be a reasonable trade off. At my company, stall training events, for example, have changed from basically recovering from slow flight to actual stall recovery.
I want more money, but at the end of the day, I want to go home in one piece, and I want the guy/gal next to me to be up to snuff. And higher standards will eliminate some people: eventually higher standards should lead to higher pay.
I want more money, but at the end of the day, I want to go home in one piece, and I want the guy/gal next to me to be up to snuff. And higher standards will eliminate some people: eventually higher standards should lead to higher pay.
#15
Until the public is vocal and willing to pay more for a ticket to get a more experienced pilot, pay will not go up. If pay does not go up, a lot of experienced pilots will find other ways to support their families. The only way I'll go to the airlines after I retire from the Air Force is if I get on with a solid airline (doubtful) AND my investments have made it possible for me to support my family if I get furloughed. I love to fly, but I won't make my family eat Ramen to support my hobby. I'll find a higher paying job elsewhere and fly on my own on the weekends. And you know what? There will always be someone else to take that low paying job. I believe our collective love of flying will keep wages low forever...it's simple economics.
#16
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Sep 2007
Position: 747 FO
Posts: 937
Until the public is vocal and willing to pay more for a ticket to get a more experienced pilot, pay will not go up. If pay does not go up, a lot of experienced pilots will find other ways to support their families. The only way I'll go to the airlines after I retire from the Air Force is if I get on with a solid airline (doubtful) AND my investments have made it possible for me to support my family if I get furloughed. I love to fly, but I won't make my family eat Ramen to support my hobby. I'll find a higher paying job elsewhere and fly on my own on the weekends. And you know what? There will always be someone else to take that low paying job. I believe our collective love of flying will keep wages low forever...it's simple economics.
#17
Line Holder
Joined APC: Jul 2009
Posts: 60
#18
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Mar 2009
Posts: 168
I really hate it when pilots basically say they 'had to do this', and they would do it for nothing. Its that attitude that has ruined, and will continue to bring this industry down. We all know that flying an airplane is funner than typing up spreadsheets, but is it really worth the cost? I think most of the new generation of future airline pilots (if educated about the realities of the industry) will choose different careers. Economically it doesn't make sense.
#19
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Mar 2009
Posts: 168
Exactly. I don't remember who said it, but he said: "I want my pilot well rested, well paid, and well fed." I can say that about my doctor, dentist, etc also. Anytime my wellbeing and safety are placed in the hands of another, I would want that person to be in a good state of mind. And here I am eating pb and jelly for every meal on a four day, and working on 4 hours sleep from the overnight. I think if passengers could follow a regional fo around for a month, see his work schedule and home life, they probably wouldn't be shopping expedia for their next ticket. In fact, they probably wouldn't get on another plane again.
#20
Until the public is vocal and willing to pay more for a ticket to get a more experienced pilot, pay will not go up. If pay does not go up, a lot of experienced pilots will find other ways to support their families. The only way I'll go to the airlines after I retire from the Air Force is if I get on with a solid airline (doubtful) AND my investments have made it possible for me to support my family if I get furloughed. I love to fly, but I won't make my family eat Ramen to support my hobby. I'll find a higher paying job elsewhere and fly on my own on the weekends. And you know what? There will always be someone else to take that low paying job. I believe our collective love of flying will keep wages low forever...it's simple economics.
Really want to see how cheap airline travel is? Look at JFK-LAX! Only $99! Now, look at the drive: 2813 miles, 43 hours driving ($311.75), 117 gals of gas ($321.75), maybe 2 nights in hotels at $80 ($160)...$793.50 Total! (This is only counting the actual driving as time, if you want to add 8 hours each night in hotels....it's more)
I wish the airlines would stop being such pussies when it comes to raising airfare. Put the price where it should be, people will still fly. If you fly it, they will come.
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