Originally Posted by
knobbycobby
The pay used to be good but it is constantly getting worse.
There'll probably be a reduction in pay in the future but c'mon it's coming from a very high starting point. Up until now the pay has constantly been increasing, when I started most LH Captains were earning salaries starting with 3, by 2019 it seems most had a 4 at the start. I doubt whether any pilot in mainline had their pay cut over the last decade (up until this year of course but that wasn't as a result of a new contract). In fact I heard stories of RIN'd 767 FOs who got a pay rise to go to 380 SO.
On the flipside to most comments here from what I've heard from those now working in other industries most have received quite a rude awakening into what life outside of mainline is really like, and will be very grateful of the mainline job and life once they return.
Will there be temptations of other industries like law, finance, business etc where more pay can be made eventually? Yes, and I believe some will take up that offer and give flying away. But I reckon the vast majority will eventually return to flying. 95%+. It'll take time in other industries to get to the kind of money the mainline pilot was previously on, and by that stage they'll have had the opportunity to to return to work. Yes, you'll miss some holidays and birthdays, but overall you'll have more time off at home. Not many M-F professionals can pick up their kids from school. You'll definitely be able to have more choice in place of living, rather than a commute to the CBD 5 times per week. Won't get attacked in the media? Also won't be made redundant at a moment's notice like a lot of corporate staff are.
Plus as much as everyone says they don't like it, they just can't seem to get away from "the life"