Arty Fufkin, "£80,000 is a fair old wedge, but is it worth 5 years seniority in an airline? Discuss....... " is a very fair question.
However, in the current economic climate there are NO jobs outside, and I am not optimistic enough to believe all those who say 18 months to two years time will be a bed of roses. If you look at the BALPA figures of the number of unemployed ATPL holders with type ratings that are out there at the moment (or look on other proone threads), the picture starts to look a little more brown coloured to my eyes.
I for one am very happy to have taken PAS and have a very secure income for the next few years. I was going to hedge my bets with the PVR option in a few years (AFPS 75 pension so easy to do), but even with Leon Jabachjabicz's figure of £9K extra a year for the five years after tax (which is about correct), the FRI still puts me on a salary of £70K plus a year for the next five years (guaranteed). In the current climate that is definitely the right move for me, the ball and chain and the rugrats. Five years is not that long to commit for, and 43 is not too old to get another job outside (not the majors I agree but plenty of opportunities for experienced stick monkeys with other companies).
I hate CCS, fitness tests, career ticket punching colleagues and senior Officers, the sunny places (and I do spend a LOT of time out there every year before anyone asks) etc. as much as everyone else , But if you can find me a guaranteed job in the airline industry on £58K a year (topped up to £70K by my pension), that is secure for 5 years with no chance of redundancy, then I would take it, but I believe that such a job is just not reality in the industry at the moment and in the future.....UNITE will see to that soon enough by helping O'Leary etc kill the industry.
Don't Know about the rest of you but my family comes first, well before my petty issues with my employer about T&Cs.
It's a no brainer at present IMHO...preparing to be shot down!!!
