I can't wait for AA/USAir version of Kabuki Theatre during an arbitration process. This one will be very entertaining.
USAir, AW, AA, and TWA folks....

 

So, if they raise the retirement age, you'll keep going? I personally can't wait to retire ASAP, and am investing accordingly. If things are sooo bad here, why would you wanna stick around? Not picking a fight, but just curious how you would have faired if age 65 never came about...

 

Thanks, no I didn't really want to stick around till 65. I am planning on living long past 67.5 thank you. But when I got hired, I was also planning on a defined benefit retirement plan too. PBGC isn't really enough to live on, even in a trailer off the highway in Nevada.

I don't really know if I would stay past 65 or not. That's a ways off, too much can change. I don't want to stay and work, I have lots of other stuff I would like to do. Cheers.

 

ScCal,

Just curious, how old are you? I'm 54 and have seen several large hiring boom-bust cycles since age 25. If you miss one or two of the booms, you may go bust. If you don't have the good fortune to get hired at one of 2 or perhaps 3 airlines at just the right time, you MAY not be in a posn to afford an early retirement. Toss in a few kids / college, an ailing family member in need, perhaps Wife Version 2.0, live in NY, LA, HI, NJ, DC or other expensive hub city and things can get ugly fast.

Take a look around the terminals and note how many older Commuter guys you see. I'd bet that most of them are unable to sock away the funds and I'd bet their company match is shamefully low. Hiring has been abysmal for the last 5-6 years, so they're simply holding a spot in line with minimal advancement.

Take a look at the number of guys at AA, UAL and USAir who were hired at the wrong time, they were rewarded with 15-20 years in the right seat. Go back another generation and look at the guys who spent 15-16 years on the panel and never attained the HP to upgrade. Most weren't driving Benz's.

Unless I marry well or win the lotto there is a good chance that I'll be pulling your gear on my 64th birthday. There are a LOT of guys just like me. So, what do I do, voluntarily leave a cushy WB F/O seat with 3-4 weeks of annual VACA, 16% BC fund kicker and a nice paycheck so I can go work the counter at Advance Auto? What would you do?

It's funny how many times I heard the "go early" line of thinking and how few times I have seen it actually happen. Life gets in the way.

My suggestion if you want to go early, move to the sticks, drive old pickups, keep wife version 1.0, drink PBR, vacation close to home, skip the tenderloins and lobster, drink Henry and live small. It can be done, but I blew it.

 

I'm 43 for another 4 mos...feeling it too! I am in no way telling someone when to punch out. My question was more to the thinking of...if 65 didn't come about, would you be okay to retire at 60?

 

"Life gets in the way." Oh, my, does that sum it up.

 

Socal,

Speaking only for myself, at 60 I'd just have to be more creative. Unemployment wouldn't be much of an option unless I wanted to eat Government cheese or were to end up shagged out following a long squawk. Hard to find a six fig job at age 60 in todays economy when all you've done is fly airplanes for 35 years.

No matter how thick my depends, I'll never work for the Waltons.

 

Mako would Keystone Light be an acceptable sub for the PBR? I'm working on one right now. Bought it with the on-time bonus money!

 

Keith Stone says it's OK, so its OK with me.

 

Ah yeah sorry the times have caught up with you James, but PBR is for faux hipsters. Hence why it runs 6 bucks for a tall boy in Williamsburg.