QF Insider.....
What the heck has AJ's height to do with anything? And the booster seat? A while ago I flew the beautiful 777-300 which was longer than a 744 and had much bigger engines and was way cooler than anything in the Qantas fleet. Does that make me a better person than poor QFInsider?
There is a pilot shortage. You are correct there. That is why First Officers at JQ can get A320 command in 2-3 years and soon, 787 command, on very decent money. Way sooner than anyone in Qantas. So their earning profile from say 25 to 40 and the options that their 787 command gives them easily outstrip their colleagues who opted for more pay earlier but less over the longer term and a verrrrrry long time not in the left hand seat where any pilot worth the name wants to be.
As for working harder. Are the CAO regs too lax? AIPA has had years to get CASA to change them. Any progress? Why shouldn't pilots work hard? Ask a single mum school teacher or nurse with 2 children what life is like. Or any single mum.
And as for "Off overseas"....simply go. Don't talk about it. Find out what "market" T & C are. I did it, thousands do. Yu might enjoy getting out from the protected umbrella of a Legacy carrier. And you will see lots and lots of 777s, tho as we know, none proudly bearing the rat logo.
Good jobs, commands and growth is the new paradigm Insider. Has been for 20 years now since deregulation. Its what pilots want. Its what the public want and boy do they vote with their feet. The fact that this 20 years is is roughly the same timeframe as the Hermit Kingdom (AIPA) has existed may not be entirely coincidence.