scambo1

I don't know if you can make a blanket statement like the "vast majority." There are certainly tiers within the expat contract flying, just like there are in the US. However, if a stagnant RJ captain is looking at his options, IMO going expat young is probably a very sober choice.

slowplay

Of all the unbelievably stupid things written on this forum, this one has to lead the pack.

This week there was an article in the NYT extolling cabotage. Em R Rats is making the political rounds to be allowed to "invest" in AMR. Look what's happening to Qantas to see the results of that type of "investment." I'm sure you'd think it wonderful if you applied Middle Eastern labor law (none) and Middle Eastern union regulation (unions not allowed) and the worst international "flag of convenience" FTDT rules while operating in the US and protected by "extraterritoriality." Brilliant!

So if you want the US Airline industry to be like the US maritime industry, keep sniping at the only group trying to protect you and your job from yourself. Just don't beyotch when you get what you want.

SailorJerry

So remind me why Delta pilots fell short with 4/8/3/3? Quit making this place seem more desirable than it is!

SailorJerry

Maybe we should close the skies. The EU wants carbon emission credits. How about the US Government charges foreign flight crews 1.90% per hour they spend being manhandled by NY Approach.

cni187

Jumped up another 17 seniority numbers!

StormChaser

Alaska to begin Seattle-Salt Lake City service in April.

Alaska Airlines Announces Twice-Daily Service Between Seattle and Salt Lake City - Yahoo! Finance

Bucking Bar

Exactly.

We've cruised with one of the better cruise lines. The standard contract was 7 days a week, 16 hours a day, 10 months on, not allowed to sit down on the job, sometimes ate from the passengers' left overs. Being Catholic, home for two months was just long enough to get the wife pregnant and see the results of last year's effort. After a couple of kids the crew was locked into the career to raise the kiddos. They were frequently reminded to "make eye contact with customers and smile" to the point it was a pretty funny inside joke. Yet, the crew was thankful for the job.

Folks, those of us in a union and the multitude of non union employees who enjoy what we have achieved in our 150 year effort simply don't appreciate what the efforts of organized labor have created for them.

Just google Henry Clay Frick.

scambo1

Sailor;

Nobody is saying DAL is hell on earth. However, it is not the employer it once was. Maybe no employer is. One thing is certain, DAL does a great job hiring talented pilots. IMO, in the past, DAL generally had the "pick of the litter."

With the loss of the DB and the advent of the 401k, immediately DAL became a job, not a career. Employees with jobs are far more mobile than employees with careers. I don't have any hard evidence, but have heard that a number of AA FO's have exercised that mobility.

In a perfect world, DAL's ability to hire the best available should translate into the best paid. While the world isn't perfect, in this industry and in this country, if you are a W-2 employee, your golden years are going to be about the same as any other w-2 employees golden years (within some standard deviation).

So, while I am a big advocate of personal responsibility, and I believe choices have results, in our country, this is becoming less and less true. I don't have any real pontificacious solution, just genuinely telling how I see it.

In response to your query about how DAL pilots fell short with 4,8,3,3: I can answer that. We didn't strike over a 50% paycut and loss of our pensions - in fact, we (collectively) volunteered for it. We agreed to 4,8,3,3 effectively saying that bankruptcy rates were the new normal. Given those two data points, I cannot for the life of me see why we would ever expect the future threat of a job action to be taken seriously.

Without the credible threat of self help, our "union" is IMO effectively reduced to a communication channel to/from the pilots.

boog123

Why the ""?

Free Bird

Delta will defend this route at all cost with additional RJ's.