HKAOA/blade - No offense by posting on here intended. We have info from more than a dozen ALPA branches and are absolutely using it. You are correct, they have been very helpful. However, it's just data and comes from the people that run the union. That's fine, but I also wanted to go and get some thoughts from pilots outside union management.
My purpose is simply that there are four of us putting together a paper for our members on the industry as a whole and where UAL is at this point, leading to where we go in our future negotiations. My part was to look at "middle age" pilots, thus the questions. Like I said, no offense meant by doing it on here. I've talked to pilots in bars at airports and hotels, posted on a few message boards like this and gone out to see two union heads (although only here in the US). This is just a way to check out what I think I'm finding across the industry.
744CAP - Thanks for all the info. It sounds like you are familiar with our old DB plans, which are largely going away now. Our plans pretty much look like what you call a provident fund these days. I have heard several things about CX A-scalers still having a guaranteed payout at retirement, but don't understand if that is like our DB plan or lump sum.
By the way, don't underestimate the Crowne Plaza by the Detroit airport in February!
