Sounds absolutely peachy! your friend flies for a regional and just gets his bills paid. While there are a few pilots who want to get paid enough to pay the bills, a few of us want a little more than that for the ridiculous amount crap that goes into getting in to this industry and performing for an airline and the passengers we fly around. I was flying the other day with a guy that started out as a mechanic (no knock on mechanics). He made 3-4 times more as a mechanic than he is first year at a regional and he started with about 400 hrs at my regional. Well, he is getting furloughed and our company is asking for a 6% give back along with other concessions even with a recent 5.5% inflation rate in the last 12 months. Now, I am sympathec to any who loose their jobs to furlough but his solution was that he hoped the rest of us will vote for pay concessions so that he can get back guickly and get his get his hours and maybe one day be an RJ Captain. Well that's just the problem if he really took a look at how much money and scarcifice he made to make 400 hrs happen. The debt that he and his wife had during his first year during his first year at a regional. The cost of his college education to go to most majors. The missed birthday parties, dates with your family, running thru miles of airports, the countless sims to hone his skills as a pilots.....the months away from home during one year most of which you were not being paid by the way.....I am sure this list can be lengthened. But I am so sick of guys talking about just paying their bills....not too many of us are looking for a life jet setting around the world on our own private jet and a 10 acre mansion. I would say we all love flying, that goes without saying, but this non-sense that we don't deserve more pay or to do better than just covering our bills is ridiculous. Yeah! I for one want a decent house to come home to that's a little more comfortable and a nice car and money left over to feel comfortable about even leaving the industry earlier than 65yrs. But if all you want to do is fly for free go right ahead! Many if not most us are far more capable of doing other things in industry or business. And yes! I am considering it believe me. But if airlines want talented, smart, and educated individuals flying their planes they are going to have to have to pay us for it. And no! profits by a companies aren't made with by pay concessions. My rant over!
