seekingblue

I'll only speak for myself:

I have a love hate relationship with the job (more hate than love, recently --and it isn't even summer yet with 31R closed). I prefer to work closer to 70hrs.

I'm thankful to be here, but I'm not the "I'm so lucky to have had a job here crowd."

Maybe we just agree to disagree, but this job is the hardest job I've ever had. Not in terms of physical labor, but the emotional toll it takes on folks.

The fumes, night flying, time away from loved ones is the hardest part of the job. I've flown with guys who are depressed. I've flown with guys who are unbelievably angry. I think calling this job easy, hurts guys who are struggling.

Don't take for granted how hard this job is. And don't confuse lack of physically challenging labor for an easy job-- it's not.

disenchantMINT

All of this is spot on. Same with Bluedriver, Hyperboy, RiddleEagle18, et al.

This job is a lot of work. Anyone claiming otherwise is ignorant or has poor intentions for pilots. I wouldn't be shocked if 360KIAS's posting location could be traced back to a section of NYC near the east end of the Queensboro Bridge.

360KIAS

I'll rephrase, your honor. Sure, it's a job, and yes, it's work. But physically, not so much. Mentally, yes. Airport appreciation is a drag, but it's not the same as hauling wood or driving a truck. If you've truly worked more and harder than I outside aviation, then you know what I'm saying is true. My comment was directed at those who only know flying as a career.

No, I wouldn't do this job unless they paid me. But we've ALL done it for a lot less pay, I'd imagine.

Suspicious and mal-intentioned? Funny U R.

BluesClues

You mean other airlines that operate A320’s. Of course they are. I’m guessing you think airlines with 14,000 pilots are our peer equals? As much as I’d like that to be true that’s living in a fantasy land. Which is what I’m really noticing from most of you super negative guys posting here. We’re paid below the big 3 and above the ULCC’s, literally average. Our closest peer is Alaska and our rates are almost identical yet their work rules are trash and they have zero, let me say again, zero scope. So I think we’re well above them.

This emotional chest thumping and negativity from some of you guys is crazy. Weren’t you the one that said guys coming off their seat lock would not be able to get to the bus? Wrong, it’s been going to new hires. Didn’t P-3 or whatever his name is say this system bid would have negative upgrades, wrong again. I swear you guys just bask in negativity to the point you’re just making stuff up.

Profit sharing blows. But let’s look at the unemotional facts, the company cut it down before there was a CBA so nothing we could have done. Negotiating for it in the CBA is incredibly difficult in this environment, Delta has been trying to cut theirs, and both them and United will probably only get incremental contract increases to keep it. That said we sure as hell better try during our next round of negotiations.

Some of you guys need a hobby that doesn’t involve posting on here a bazillion times a day. Show up, do your job to the letter of the FOM, cash your check and go home.

aldonite7667

I’d call flying all night physically challenging. I’d also call day sleeping for 5 or 6 hours getting some food and a work out in before you do it again for 10 hours physically challenging too. I’d call flying a red eye trans con into bad weather only to divert physically and mentally challenging.

Give yourself the respect you deserve. And that is to say:

This job is only easy because we are good at it.

Combatcraig

You must have been on some of my trips this past few months!

Mattio

We did it for a lot less pay with the intention of eventually getting paid a lot more. If it wasn't for that, then it would be a different story. The last pilot I talked to before I picked my field and applied to college was making 300k a year working 3 days a week. That was in 90's dollars...

Mattio

Just used a calculator and that would be about 500k today... And that's using the government's CPI to calculate inflation which notoriously under-reports inflation....!

Bluedriver

Agree. I'm a vacation guy myself.

Bluedriver

Nailed it.