Good gosh now.
The ignorance and assumptions being paraded here, by a few people outside the US (or some locals), concerning pay at almost all of the majors or some regionals is baffling ( Delta pilots are receiving about half of what they were, and Northwests pilots will soon end up with their pay at about 2/3 what it was a year ago-and they never received a previous big raise, as with United and Delta, except for a few percent cost of living). The "freight dogs" are doing pretty well at UPS and FEDEX, possibly Airborne and DHL. As far as I know, FEDEX and UPS have never laid pilots off. But again, these are not passenger carriers. Has anyone already reminded Pprune-Land about the best-paid 737 pilots, possibly in the world? Who might they be? Their management was apparently light-years in IQ above those with the rest of the US passenger industry. They even (years ago) allowed their union members to receive stock at good prices! The fact that Delta pilots must retire by age 60 (no FE seats to fly), as with any other US Part 121 carriers, still chops a huge lump sum from Delta's cash when all pilots are justifiably concerned and go 2-3 years early. This will help push the company into Chapter 11.
I rarely ever use such undiplomatic language on Pprune, but there is no other way to express my surprise at the gross mis-information regarding what is happening over here.
As for ALPA being a flying club, let's remind the thousands of pilots who lost their jobs in the last few years. Or those who are senior and following years of hard work and service, dedicated to passenger safety, comfort and attempting to operate in all types of weather, despite the conflicts of an unreasonable schedule, created by company nerds, and now lose most of their retirement. The conflict between them and the many thousands who are laid-off is very difficult. As for ironic situations, how about one of our FOs, who, along with a small fraction of furloughed pilots, was recalled in December, and his father ha$ done well, working for EXXon marketing...he might get laid-off again...record profits + huge congressional tax breaks.
Sure, the concept of working after age 60 is a complex problem for calculating any retirment benefits, even if a large fraction of retirement money is possible for some. Let's also remind the many ALPA "Flying Club" pilots flying regioanl Embraer and CRJs etc, especially the FOs, about how lucky they are to be paid little above US minimum wage, (possibly stuck in the right seat for several years, with a few more dollars per month, each year) other than some medical and dental benefits-do they not still pay the difference from their own pockets? Their companies, in general, refuse to fund any retirement for them, despite negotiating with ALPA to settle a contract. A "Flying Club" pilot who has a wife and about two children often qualifies for govt. food stamps. A First Officer told our newsparer about that and his company told him that he would be terminated with any more such remarks to the media.
I'm for any reasonable idea to get furloughed pilots off the streets (dumptrucks included).
How about safety? The FAA repeatedly chants its mantra about safety requiring no more flights after you become 60 years old (despite letting you fly 100 "hard hours the previous month, with only 8 hours total "rest" each night, between engine shutdown and push-back ... ).
What airliner accident has been caused by a pilot due to his age?
Well, its off to "UbiSoft" Land, where we can fly aerobatic fighters or attack planes and watch cannon shells destroy enemy aircraft engines and wings over the Pacific or Eastern Front (IL-2 etc).
.....
