A few questions from the other side of the world
I am a United Captain (757) watching from this side of the world as you go through the current uproar with CX management. It looks to be an interesting few months ahead over there.
My name is Pete Willer and I am on the pilot committee for ALPA at United. We are about to go through another round of cuts at United, without question. I am in the process of putting together some comparisons to other airlines both in the US and a few overseas. I'm not sure if the data from outside the US will be very applicable or not but it is raising some interesting ideas. If anyone has the time and inclination to provide input, it would be much appreciated.
Questions:
1. What is your typical path to Captain? Obviously, from my reading it is clear things have changed in the last few years so my interest in more in people who maybe started between 10 & 20 years ago.
*Do you have any say over airplane bid or when to become a Captain?
*How many years (reading here and on other sites makes it appear to have been 8-10 years in the past)?
*Has there been an age limit on becoming a Captain on either side, meaning too young or too old? The few times I have run across CX pilots, they a good bit younger than the person filling a comparable seat in the US.
2. Schedules -
*I have gotten a good feel for long-haul flying reading here, but what does a typical schedule/roster look like if one mainly flies regionally (much more similar to 90% of our flying)? Would you fly 2/3/4/5 day trips? 1/2/3+ legs per day? Days per month?
*It appears you have almost no say over your schedule or roster, particularly compared to our bidding system, but if anyone has a perspective on that I'm interested.
3. Pay -
*Is it true that a 20 year vet is basically making the same today as in 1994 when the shifts began to happen? For us, we are back to about 2000/01.
*Are there any retirement benefits for older pilots other than this 16% provident fund?
4. Finally - If anyone has an opinion...Why do people stay at CX? There is clearly much unrest and displeasure but many pilots stay.
That is it, but I'm open to other ideas.
Thank you,
Pete