Count, I have asked around and according to several engineers it would seem they get the 'going rate' as do the cabin crew and check-in staff, so why is it that just the pilots are expected to subsidise the airline? To keep the thread on track is this the same at VS?
It feels as though there is an industry wide conspiracy to drive down pilot's terms and conditions although perhaps this is by now obvious to everyone. It sure is a shame when you feel the union representing pilots does not seem to have the will to address this slippery downhill slope.
I'm personally tired of hearing that we would drive the company out of business if we got the going rate, it seems VS are making the same threat as well now. Either they can afford to run an airline or they can't. I wonder how low will it go before pilots worldwide really kick-off, then Joe public might have to be charged a quid or two more per ticket.
It seems the airlines still have enough cash though to hose down the suited gods and top bean counters with obscene amounts of cash, whether they do a good job or not. I think this more than anything really ticks us off, because one thing is for sure its not the pilots that are dragging the companies fortunes down!
I guess at the end of the day it's all about supply and demand. I can't think of
any other profession where people are willing to pay to work. Rant over.