I don't doubt the facts - that Delta top of list captains are currently paid $250K per annum. Pilots in airlines like that won't be earning that sort of money for much longer. When the american public tires of subsidising the big airlines, these guys are going to fall a long way, and it will be a heavy thud with no bounce. I work at LGW and have been told of the loads that Delta carry on that route - it is not unusual for the the number of passengers to barely exceed the number of crew.