Seriously people, any deadsh!t with a fat bank account and 3 mates in an airline can get one of these gigs. Time to stop the old drawn out 'look what doctors, accountants, lawyers get' line.
It is rediculous that some guy as a second officer on a 747 gets some $100000 a year just to nod his/her head.
Sure there are many things that the pilot has to get right but as a whole, there is way too much wastage. If a reporter was to dig real deep, I am sure that they could paint a nasty picture to the public as my paragraph above.
Persons here wave their arms at people taking jobs for less money than 'the norm' and call them all sorts of names (usually catch cries that will be edited). Unfortunately parts of the norm are so out of the real world it is disgraceful.
Plead to the media all you want. I feel that it will do more harm than good. What is needed is a serious Union with unity amongst all pilot groups. Unfortunately those with the most to lose are the least willing to open up to such an idea. If a bunch of knucklehead truck drivers/bus drivers/wharfies/etc can get stuff done, why can't pilots?