Harry
"Plenty who'll be willing to trade up....even for your 10%!"
Exactly and that's how they get away with it. There was a short time when 777s FOs were doing 90+ but now most I work with are back to 80ish.
We are a per hour commodity, end of story, and the FOs have always flown less than the Captains. The companies pay rates relate mainly to their ability or inability to get the people they need, and thus its the FOs salary that is the determining factor. The challenge from then on is to get as many hours for as little as possible, thus the reason Captains have ALWAYS flown more. It makes the Captains cheaper, as we are a per hour commodity. And they know that people will do the work and change seats for free if that was the only option.
It the same reason why the salaries are not a lot different at Air Arabia and Fly Dubai, as if they were paid any less no one would come, AND pilots would always choose to fly the bigger aircraft at EK for free if given the choice. And to all the narrow body guys...it ain't the same, and nor are the experience requirements for that reason.
You'll find that our mates down the road and in Qatar do a similar trick.
I would be happy to work for 10000dhs per month, for which I will give them one flying hour.
Back to the topic..in my opinion the hours situation is only going to get worse as more aircraft arrive, and the numbers of pilots they expect to join don't.