Speaking strictly for myself here, but my story is more the norm and not the exception for pilots of my vintage/seniority. While you (your vintage/currently close to 60 pilots) enjoyed layovers I had 14 different employers (some shorter contracts) building my time to make myself marketable. Always new SOPs, different types, moving, different licences and validations, exams etc etc. Not whining here, I loved it.
By the time I got to the "direct entry FO" on the DC9 in 2000, I had 50 seat command time, tons of 12500+ turbinePIC, taken off and landed on eskers, roads, rough seas, ice, on the bare tundra, in and out of the fjords of Norway, moved god knows how many times, ALWAYS with the hope and goal in mind of that job at the major. And compared to the guys in my 550 class, I was low time. We had heavy jet command guys, highly experienced military pilots; We all paid our dues my friend. Just not in a cushy way/seat.
Finally here, my group has seen a lot of stagnation already, loss of purchasing power approaching 50% of what my seat paid a decade ago, and now you guys are coming for us too. Fair enough, but please spare us the " you didn't sit sideways". That is pathetic.
BTW, many of us were RP's/SO's too.
Your story is commonplace with the generation of pilots that were hired from 2000 and on.
