Our son wants to be an airline pilot... I have some questions :)

Joined: Nov 2004
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL
Posts: 620
Likes: 136
From: UK
It can be so humbling, that dreaded pay cut from well North of £200,000. Oh well, we all have to learn to tighten the belt and slum it like other mere mortals from time to time.
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
From: FL450
Well I did almost 35 years in it and never got close to 200k! Close to 100k was doable but for that you had to be flying a "heavy" in the left hand seat, and doing it in unsavoury places with NO life at all outside the job! You were owned. I don't need humbling from that. It was sheer abuse!
PPRuNe Handmaiden


Joined: Feb 1997
Posts: 4,910
Likes: 184
From: Duit On Mon Dei
Uplinker, easyJet's UK BALPA threatened strike action over the implementation of the EASA FTLs ISO the UK CAA's which they'd been operating under. The vote was overwhelmingly to strike. easyJet capitulated and now (then) the FTLs were wound back to the UK CAA's with even more concessions. This was a few years ago now.
So occasionally, the pilots do stand up and when they do, it can be quite effective
So occasionally, the pilots do stand up and when they do, it can be quite effective

Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 2,428
Likes: 3
From: Not At Home
I started flight training at 18. Airbus RHS at 20 and LHS at 26. Now a number of years later I’m facing a third round of redundancies and at the same time see brand new cadets replacing the more experienced crew. I love my
job, It’s fun and it pays well but I can’t see the future anymore and I wouldn’t recommend it to my own son. My 2c worth. You can PM me if you’d like.
job, It’s fun and it pays well but I can’t see the future anymore and I wouldn’t recommend it to my own son. My 2c worth. You can PM me if you’d like.



Joined: Nov 1999
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL
Posts: 3,139
Likes: 740
From: UK
Thank you redsnail. I don't recall that being the case in the UK airline I flew for at the time, but I might be mistaken. Looking at the state of the industry now though, with some airlines - including the one you mentioned, charging pilots £8,000 to be offered a job in a non UK base, (I am both type-rated and experienced); we don't stand up for very much. I chose to walk away.
There is a big contrast between aviation and broadcasting unions.
There is a big contrast between aviation and broadcasting unions.





