The Cathay A scalers certainly did well but its a closed shop now. Last I heard they were onto C scale or worse.
T&C's across the world are deteriorating at each and every pay round. Whilst you might get £150k and upwards at BA for being a senior skipper the problem is you start at the bottom of the rung. By the time you reach the top of the rung I can guarantee you that pay would have fallen behind inflation so the glory days are certainly over. Airline money isn't that great but what it does give you is a degree of job security. And I hasten to add that I use that term very loosely given the way fuel prices are going and who knows what the future will hold for any of us.
The best paid seem to be the journeyman TRE types who are willing to hop skip and jump across the world taking contracts in emerging nations and filling a skills shortage. Generally these are short term and sporadic in nature though so you need to be footloose and fancy free.