Norman Stanley Fletcher and All,
I think underlying part of this debate are cultural differences between US and European pilots. I've been on Pprune for a few years now, I also fly for a US major airline. I do percieve a big difference betwwen US and European attitudes towards a flying carreer. In the US we have alot of Major airlines (ie high paying) and I, for one expected to be flying for one as soon as my military committments were up. Not only that, but I even had to choose between which major I felt offered me the best conditions etc. I am not like all US pilots, but a large percentage have similiar experiences. Bottom line is, we are not as beholden to the Airline that hired us. I have many friends who left US Air, or United and took a job at American or Northwest because those particular Airlines were offered them a better lifestyle. Correct me if I'm wrong, but reading Pprune over the years, it seems to me the average European pilot has a much more tougher route to get to the majors, your testing seems more difficult, and more importantly the amount of airlines, and I mean Major Airlines, that pay top-salaries, seem relativley limited compared to here. Therefore, once you've made it to a major European airline it seems you are more apt to "not rock the boat" or demand much. If I were in your shoes I would probably do the same. The US airlines are an entirely different story, Imagine if the UK had 5 or 6 airlines the size and status of BA, would you fly for one that paid 20% less? So US pilots tend to expect more, and demand more, and our airlines have made HUGE profits over the years, they spent these profits lavishly and now when the tough times occur, they immediatly expect pay concessions. We're more than willing to help, but we don't just roll over.....Many of these arguments on Pprune can be better understood if one looks at them from the proper perspective, unfortunatley thats not possible. I do not intend this to say our system is better/worse than yours, just different.