Originally Posted by The Dominican

There is a problem with this theory, the reason why the salary levels abroad is higher in comparison is because of the small supply, situation that has created a steady increase in salary in the 7 years that I have been on the expat market (for the third time) but the US is still the market around the world that has the biggest supply of experienced pilots living on a lower salary rate because of the bright and visionary idea of separating the pilot groups into two classes...!
Airlines planning to explore the possibility of US bases will have a practically unlimited supply of 8,000+ hour pilots with plenty of jet pic! I believe that the salaries will be in accordance with this reality, if you follow the example of one organization that has done it already, (let me make clear that I have nothing against VA nor it's pilots, my position is based just on numbers) but VA is not paying its A320 pilots what they are paying abroad right? That is the problem that I see, that let's say Air China opens a base in the US and they come in with a salary level that is 40% lower than the 23K net they are paying in China, and they will get inundated with qualified resumes. I honestly don't believe that the introduction of jobs from a foreign carrier based in the US necessarily means that their salary levels will be imported as well, they will offer the salary levels that they know people will accept.

Originally Posted by Spudhauler

All you folks touting their arrival might want to do a little homework. Most guys I know that are flying for foreign carriers are dying to get back to the states. These carriers have few if any work rules, often don't honor seniority, and pay much less than their US counterparts. I worked for a regional and understand the angst with the downward spiral going on, but allowing foreign carriers to operate domestically will be a disaster for the US airline industry, and the overall pay and quality of life for pilots based here.