Have to agree.
In my opinion it's the work/life balance that's all wrong. Days are ridiculously long in many cases, airspace critically overcrowded, a rulebook thicker than the yellow pages, and the old 'six on, two off and be thankful' management culture leaves no time for recovery, let alone R & R before it begins all over again.
In shorthaul we're shiftworkers with crazily changing shift patterns perfect for inducing fatigue, yet we actually work longer weeks with fewer pro rata days off than a stable shift worker.......work that one out. Six on, two off just can't be right for a shift worker expected to control sixty tonnes of jet aeroplane in all weathers at all times of the day and night, make all the right decisions and get kicked in the ass or worse when a small deviation from the ops manual occurs.........
Another point often overlooked is that modern aircraft have taken much of the fun out of it as well, and reduced the actual involvement of tuning and tracking nav aids etc in the cruise, getting your descent exactly right etc etc blah blah.....
And try keeping a marriage going with endless nightstops or earlies and lates. The sheer daily grind is very much at odds with the perception of those who don't do it.
Apart from all that it's bl**dy marvellous.
