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-   -   Higher 2nd Year Pay At Regionals (https://www.airlinepilotforums.com/regional/81264-higher-2nd-year-pay-regionals.html)

Window_Seat 05-01-2014 11:22 AM


Originally Posted by blaine (Post 1634319)
In my opinion, the only people who are paid wages that are unfair and unlivable are new hire or low seniority first officers. They make between 18k - 25k the first year and top out the position in the high 30k's to low 40k's. They basically do the exact same job as the captain and can be stuck there for a decade while waiting for the captains seat. The only difference is authority. The entire pilot pay structure should be changed to more accommodate first officers. If you're making north of 50k - 60k, you're just a crying captain, the industry pays you very well. Concentrate the fight on the pilots who really need it. If you're making decent money and still complaining, you're just hurting the industry as a whole by looking greedy. Increase pay for the first 4 years as FO and you'll likely see a dramatic change in applications by qualified pilots. I myself hesitate returning to a regional simply because of the pay, that's it. Plenty of experienced guys like me would fill the demand if the pay were better. If you're going to write a letter to your congressmen, how about explaining the low pay is for FO's and NOT captains. The public knows captains make good money but are blind about FO's, they just think pilots in general make good money. The shortage doesn't have much to do with the 1500 hour rule either, it's about qualified pilots not coming to the regionals because of low FO pay and overall QOL issues. There are industry flight attendants who make more than many pilots, in what world is the even acceptable?

Dude, you need to raise your expectations, in my opinion. $50K is a lot of money? Do you still live in your parents basement? You might be still if your're topping out at 50K. Get a little greedy, it's okay. Our time has come. Now if it werent for Pinnacle and PSA I'd be making a lot more money on the last pay package.

BoilerUP 05-01-2014 11:23 AM


Originally Posted by Window_Seat
Now if it werent for Pinnacle and PSA I'd be making a lot more money on the last pay package.

...or you could have your union negotiate more money.

BlueMoon 05-01-2014 12:08 PM


Originally Posted by Window_Seat (Post 1634390)
Now if it werent for Pinnacle and PSA I'd be making a lot more money on the last pay package.

You could have a union and have a say in what you get paid.

Instead of relying on other airlines to bring up the average and then just piggy backing off of them.

There are some pilots that in the past might have said, "If Skywest would have had higher pay, then my last airline might not have asked us to take a paycut or fly a 70 seat aircraft for 50 seat rates".

blaine 05-01-2014 12:47 PM


Originally Posted by Window_Seat (Post 1634390)
Dude, you need to raise your expectations, in my opinion. $50K is a lot of money? Do you still live in your parents basement? You might be still if your're topping out at 50K. Get a little greedy, it's okay. Our time has come. Now if it werent for Pinnacle and PSA I'd be making a lot more money on the last pay package.

Look around the world and you'll see very fast that 50k per year is an astounding income. And no, I'm quite far from mommy and daddies house.

Flying Ninja 05-01-2014 12:59 PM


Originally Posted by blaine (Post 1634433)
Look around the world and you'll see very fast that 50k per year is an astounding income. And no, I'm quite far from mommy and daddies house.

Astounding in THEIR country. Not in THIS country.

Bartok 05-01-2014 01:07 PM


Originally Posted by sailingfun (Post 1634383)
There is no 76 seat rate at Delta. There is a 90 seat rate. 12 year CA is 139 effective 1 Jan15.

They have a specific CRJ900 rate in their contract.

Cubdriver 05-01-2014 06:40 PM


Originally Posted by blaine (Post 1634433)
Look around the world and you'll see very fast that 50k per year is an astounding income. And no, I'm quite far from mommy and daddies house.

There is no reason not to compare pilot pay in the domestic American economy with other jobs bearing similar features and general qualitative definition. The subject is well- defined.

Characteristics of a profession
(Wikipedia)

There is considerable agreement about defining the characteristic features of a profession. They have a "professional association, cognitive base, institutionalized training, licensing, work autonomy, colleague control... (and) code of ethics,"[20] to which Larson then also adds, "high standards of professional and intellectual excellence," (Larson, p. 221) that "professions are occupations with special power and prestige," (Larson, p.x) and that they comprise "an exclusive elite group," (Larson, p. 20) in all societies.

Members of a profession have also been defined as "workers whose qualities of detachment, autonomy, and group allegiance are more extensive than those found among other groups...their attributes include a high degree of systematic knowledge; strong community orientation and loyalty; self-regulation; and a system of rewards defined and administered by the community of workers."[21]

A profession has been further defined as: "a special type of occupation...(possessing) corporate solidarity...prolonged specialized training in a body of abstract knowledge, and a collectivity or service orientation...a vocational sub-culture which comprises implicit codes of behaviour, generates an esprit de corps among members of the same profession, and ensures them certain occupational advantages...(also) bureaucratic structures and monopolistic privileges to perform certain types of work...professional literature, legislation, etc." [22]

Paid2fly 05-01-2014 07:58 PM


Originally Posted by blaine (Post 1634319)
In my opinion, the only people who are paid wages that are unfair and unlivable are new hire or low seniority first officers. They make between 18k - 25k the first year and top out the position in the high 30k's to low 40k's. They basically do the exact same job as the captain and can be stuck there for a decade while waiting for the captains seat. The only difference is authority. The entire pilot pay structure should be changed to more accommodate first officers. If you're making north of 50k - 60k, you're just a crying captain, the industry pays you very well. Concentrate the fight on the pilots who really need it. If you're making decent money and still complaining, you're just hurting the industry as a whole by looking greedy. Increase pay for the first 4 years as FO and you'll likely see a dramatic change in applications by qualified pilots. I myself hesitate returning to a regional simply because of the pay, that's it. Plenty of experienced guys like me would fill the demand if the pay were better. If you're going to write a letter to your congressmen, how about explaining the low pay is for FO's and NOT captains. The public knows captains make good money but are blind about FO's, they just think pilots in general make good money. The shortage doesn't have much to do with the 1500 hour rule either, it's about qualified pilots not coming to the regionals because of low FO pay and overall QOL issues. There are industry flight attendants who make more than many pilots, in what world is the even acceptable?





"North of 50-60k, you're just a crying captain , the industry pays you very well"

Every captain was once an fo, and made the same wages you're crying about! Unlike you, I don't think anyone is overpaid at any regional in any position. We are all professionals with people's lives in our hands. Maybe where you're from "North of 50k" is "paid very well", but try supporting a wife and kids in any of our California bases on 50k and get back to me on how well the industry pays.

skypilot35 05-01-2014 08:06 PM

Agree with you 100%. $50K is not nearly enough for the responsibility nor the profession. Just out of curiosity, what is enough? What amount would make someone "want" to stay at the regional level, if any?

l1011 05-01-2014 08:45 PM


Originally Posted by DOGIII (Post 1634222)
I think it is safe to say that the airlines (regionals mostly) assume some risk by training many new hires with no prior 121 time and likely have some pilots bailing/washing out after expensive training..
Would it be more practical to advocate higher 2nd year pay as opposed to 1st to offset this risk?

Example of a current fictional pay scale:
24,33,35,40...

Example some people are advocating (double first year pay):
48,50,52,55...

Example weighted towards 2nd year and up:
30,56,59,60...

Obviously these kinds of raises might seem highly optimistic and out of reach in light of todays low regional wages. Just toying with a general direction we might take, the net gains posted above are all equal.

I agree, but first year pay should be at least 45. Give guys enough to live on while they are waiting for the next bump up.


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