It is amazing how performance related pay is always quoted when there is a downturn in traffic levels. I don't remember anyone getting an 8-9% increase a few years ago when traffic was increasing by that amount (at least in my unit) and an increase in wages in line with the increase in traffic figures would have been laughed at!!!
I agree we are well paid and have good working conditions (mostly) but it is all down to good old market forces.
Let's face it commercial pilot is still seen as a fairly glamorous job and most little boys want to be one and therefore there is a high take up rate ( and you pilots haven't done too much to discourage that impression have you
)
ATCO on the other hand is seen as a stressful black magic art where you sit in a dark room chain smoking and putting yourself into an early grave and therefore no-one ever says at the age of 6 "I want to be an Air Traffic Controller" and therefore take up is low.
Couple this with the fact that
most people will get their pilots licence if you throw enough money and time at them
Whereas most people cannot do an ATCo job no matter how much money or time you allow them which is why there is still a 50% failure rate even though companies have spent millions studying and developing selection tests! Ok ( before you start ) I know any monkey can control 2 cessnas an hour at a local field.
As you may have guessed I am an ATCO and these views are entirely personal but to those of you whinging about not getting any directs the other day - it just shows you what you get every day and take for granted
Why shouldn't you fly the route you have filed? The future will be flying filed routes and at the level you have filed as well just to make slot times, and ATCO's will not be able to deviate from that because the system tells them they can't - is that progress???