ei-flyer -
I am not moaning over the situation. I am not happy with the way things are, so no need for personal attack with regards to my experience level. (however not a problem, low houred CPL)
Cabinready - is clearly frustrated with his choice of career, however he does still have a career in aviation. I can not know the reasons why he has not been offered other employment with his experience, maybe he has been unlucky with his choices.
I have a friend of mine FAA licensed, also with more than 3500 hours TT, and also not made it into any of the airlines.
I have another friend who had nearly 4000 hours, majority on SEP, and few hundred on MEP, he was 43 and paid for his own TR, and got himself a job in the desert flying a 737. (Dubai/Afghanistan)
He told me if they gave him a FO with 200 hours he would refuse to fly. Now I know it is not always that simple, we all have bills to pay.
Cabinready - was angry at the "rich kids", and I agree this can be frustrating times. He also said he could hardly make things go around, does he believe some of the Airlines are better when he starts there?
All we can do is do our best, I have been lucky as I have had several other careers, and I have career I can fall back on if things goes from bad to worse!
I have to admit I have been on the management side rather then the employment side, and I am not sure how I will react if I get treated like dirt as an employer, as I have been self-employed and ran several different business since I was 19.
It does seems if pilots had been stronger with their management, these negative changes could have been limited. However if the management comes and tells their pilots, either accept P2F schemes at our airline, or our airline will not be able to exist or you will need to take a large pay cut, of course we would all comply with management, end of the day, they are the ones paying our salaries/contracts.
I think the root of the problem is a combination of several factors, slow recruitment at the moment, people have invested thousand of pounds, and there are no jobs out there. Pilots are sitting tight in their seats, afraid that the recession might hit they airline, scare politics by management, we have to save in every corner - and pilots have to accept any condition directed by management, because they fear what would happen if management might be right.
Lufthansa pilots did take a stand, why does nobody else care enough?