Where do you work ? Equipment / seat and year ? How much did you make ?

Always a good thread I think for contract comparison. Let’s all make sure we keep raising the bar for each other. Happy New Years to all my colleagues and friends around the world !

American LCC / A320 / FO year 3 / $155.000. This includes my DC (retirement contribution from the company and per diem).

Disclaimer : I picked up zero premium trips last years and drop / trade trips to where I have 17/19 days off a month. My health is worth more than more money.

They’re only good if you say where you work. You even ask that as your first question but then go in to not say where you work.

as for €40k gross, :{​​​​​​​

Exactly, I assume that’s either Wizz or Lauda perhaps... Wizz for example, have bases in a host of Eastern European countries undergoing a difficult transition to the western world.

Take Romania for one. The average annual wage is €11,580. €40,000 (one of the earlier posters salary) is 3.5 times the average wage. On the other hand, the average wage in the US is €42,000, therefore the American FO earns roughly 3.2 times the average wage. As much as the Germans will try to convince you, Europe isn’t a federal state. Salaries and conditions are different in different countries. If you don’t like your conditions, you’re free to look elsewhere for work (unless going forward, you’re British but I’ll leave that one there).

Standards of living differ vastly across Europe and obviously, salaries will mirror that. $155,000 will get you a lot more in Mississippi than $155,000 will in California or DC!

The 8 sectors a day trope another die hard posted is frankly rubbish. I work for a European LCC carrier and preference 2 sector days (as a relatively junior captain). I’ll probably do 10-15 days of 3 sectors or more a year - the same is true for the FOs at my outfit with the same bidding presence. A massive difference too is that pilots at the European LCCs for the large part get to spend every night at home with their families. That’s worth a heck of a lot. Anecdotally of course, but I don’t think that’s true for the majority of US legacy and LCC pilots I’ve spoken to on my travels.

US DC-9 car parts hauler. 3rd year FO, upgraded to captain in October. $119k gross. Probably around 300 hours for the year. Average 5 nights away from home per month. Had Christmas and New Years off every year I’ve been here. Not looking for anything better.

What a difference between USA and Europe..... :sad:

Let’s hope the EU manages to imitate the US aviation scene within not too many years.

oh well, I might as well try fitting pigs with wings.

RHS A320 Tarnished British Flag carrier. Single Runway Operation
Total Gross: About £80K including allowances. (1 week of unpaid leave is included in this figure). Year 4.
Hours flown in 2019: just under 700
Take Home monthly average £4800 (after 6% pension contribution, company pays 15%)

I commute but still on average I manage at least 20 nights a month in my own bed, pretty unique situation I would say and I’m very fortunate. This company takes an absolute caning from most people in all areas (rightly in some) but overall I’m happy enough with my lot, I’d struggle to find a short haul commuter (FO wise) in the UK right now who’s got a better overall deal. The company is clearly not what it was but still provides options to suit you, which I have exploited.

In all likelihood I should get a long haul move in 2020/21 which would be a pay rise, reduce my tax burden as my pay rises (due to dipping under the UK 90 night maximum and able to be domiciled for tax in my little crown dependency), reduce my commuting cost footprint but on the flip side introduce jet lag and give me less nights in my own bed (unless I go part time). Hence it’s not a straightforward decision anymore whether to do it. But I don’t really fancy flying the 737 Max in a couple of years..

Year 6/7 FO, longhaul at Big Airlines. Average about £5-£5.5k net a month. Company pays 15% into pension. No real bonus scheme any more. Will not take shorthaul command as I cannot afford the pay cut nor do I wish to work that much harder.

Chief Willy: 100% spot on. I am a few years ahead of you on the pay scale. P1 Airbus and my take home is the same as yours. 840hrs