Brix,
Unfortunately Continental is the only one recalling. American will furlough more, and the others will spend years before recalling.
TP. Well said!
LHR Rain,
I did not bring up Delta or Southwest because I do not know the southwest contract, and Delta is evolving daily. I think Delta will be in bankruptcy before the end of the year, the salaries have droped 30% and will drop in the future. the pilots gave the company 20 years to make up the retirement fund shortfall, and that may not be enough. Delta is the highest paid in the industry, and the chances of you or I being hired there are non existant.
What Pension issues are you refering to? Usair pilot pension was terminated and taken over by the government in April of 2003, and the average loss per pilot was nearly 75% of their accrued pension. The United pension fund was terminated and taken over by the government last month. Southwest has a very poor pension plan that only benefits the senior pilots. Northwest Pilot pension fund is nearly 3 billion dollars in the red, and it is the same at every other airline. The government pension agencey estimates that the total underfunding of the airline pension fund in the us to be over 15 billion dollars.
I am making almost as much as I was making at home, and I will be a break even this year. Next year I will make more here than I would have in the states. This is a better job, and a better position.
I am not attacking you! I am only saying that you do not have the experience or knowledge to compare Emirates to any airline in the states. Aviation in the states is not good at all unless you are at one of 4 airlines. I am better off here.
Regarding the union, the JNB crew would have benefited greatly, but it is my experience that the union did more harm than good at my last company. I lost my pension, took over a 50%pay cut, and kept moving downward in position and aircraft. And the MEC voted to approve it all while being paid a full salary from the union. You can have it!
And finally, between leave, training, and sick you can fly 90 hours a month and still stay under 1000 per year which is the FAA limit.