Great post guys, i am in my last year too and I am in away heartbroken to leave a career that has provided me with my life and has been my life.
Just leave you all with some of my thoughts. I have been saddened to see how our profession has deterioated over the years. The BALPA non reaction to budget airlines has i think been very poor. I believe the captain of a jet airliner should be in the same salary league as a doctor. I also believe the CAP document on fatigue of aircrew needs completely re-writing, there are too many tired pilots flying around. there also needs to be a stricter control of when roster control can contact pilots and connecting that contact with duty start.
The two guys at the front should be the only thing non-budget in a budget airline because the flying public still demand the same saftey, whatever the airline.
There are too many airline directors who do not understand the unique importance and value of pilots. Management has been looking for a big stick for many years to deal with pilots and it arrived via budget airlines.
Budget airlines have been a great boost to the industry but have done great long term harm to our profession.
Fly safe