Most professions have a top end with good money/relatively little work involved. How many reach that level is a different matter.
Yes some senior Captains make a lot of money and choose the trips they want to exotic destinations or stay home on reserve and fly once or twice a month to stay current.
Most major airline, let alone pilots in general don't.
After years of working your way up in lesser jobs ,paying for training or risking danger in the military a small number make it to that level and for a few years before retirement have it very good.
A reasonable incentive to the rest of us to enter a profession with very little job security ,where you are under constant threat from a take over ,failed medical ,bad checkride etc. Not to mention the divorce rate.
Many professions would look at a senior pilots earnings as what they would expect mid career ,increasing greatly before retirement.
I don't see judges or senior civil servants on the list .Imagine not being able to be sacked for poor performance ,company can't go broke and a guaranteed inflation proof pension on retirement.
About the only one job I agree totally with is CEOs of failing companies. I can't see any pilot causing a reduction in company profits through his incompetence being given a multi million dollar golden goodbye can you ?
