Saudipic-Westjet
"Starting pay is higher than AC, and average time to the left seat is 18-24 months"
I am a relief pilot on the B747-400 for air Canada. Starting pay at West jet is not higher than Air Canada and that is not including the 1K a month I bring home in perdiums!
18-24 months is the time to command over the last two years, but who is to say what it will be over the next two years! I could have been a CRJ Captain after a year if I had the notion. (Which I didn't) CRJ Capt. pay is about 90K a year I think! I am not sure of the latest WJ Capt. Pay but I do know that it is around the 100k mark! That being said 4 year pay on the B747 as a R/P is Min 100K and usually about 110K. WJ pilots work 14-18 days month and I have averaged 10 over the last two years.
Like the gentleman from WJ said it is like comparing apples to oranges. West jet is a great company to work for! That being said it is an airline in its infancy and has a long road ahead of it! I wish them all the success and I believe they will have a market for about 50 A/c domestically. But make no mistake about it! They work hard for there money and the airline have yet to deal with having a pilots union! The company has hired ex-C3/Royal pilots as of late and they will not be happy for long at the current wage structure and working conditions! I have about 10 friends who fly for WJ and they enjoy the job! 2 of them would never admit it but they would all rather fly for Air Canada. The rest have already told me they would rather be at AC.
Either company is just a job! If I was a self made millionaire then I would still rather be at AC! If for nothing else ...the life it provides! Days off......variety of a/c, destinations.....etc!
Peace.....
Carnie