Interesting point. Last year the Liaison Board brought up the same issue about using the X Factor to Offset any bonuses paid to those spending time away. I am in favour of this to a certain extent; however, the X Factor includes other variables as well as time spent away (the high numbers of moves in a career, spouses having to give up employment, kids changing schools, etc etc).
Although this is a separate issue, I believe that all personnel who spend a lot of time detached away should get a descent allowance package - not just aircrew. Tac Comms Wg and the caterers are getting a real bashing at present. This, however, has nothing to do with the issue of Aircrew Retention.
AG would serve himself better if he actually read some of the posts before paining us all with his comments. Aircrew are not PVRing at the present - they are waiting until their options and leaving. As BEagle pointed out, the Ryan Air salary itself might not be up to much, but the addition of a pension helps enormously.
We hear a lot about the 'sacred cow' of 60 IPS to solve our problems in the training empire (In Productive Service, AG). What you also have to remember is that it might take 3 years and cost approximately £6 million to train a pilot (how much for an Admin Officer?), but how can you possibly put a price on 1000hrs+, 4-Ship Lead, QWI etc etc. These are the guys who are taking options and they cannot simply be replaced by an Ab Initio.
That, my unwise friend AG, is why the retention measures are required.
If you don't like working for aircrew then I am afraid that you have joined the wrong business.
It's never too late to learn though.
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