End of 2021 salary survey
12-26-2021, 06:18 AM
#213
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Feb 2014
Posts: 117
The Canadian wages are insanely pathetic, probably among the worst in the world. I worked many years in Canada with a lot of those years as a captain and never broke $100K USD. I left and went to China and now fly for a US ULCC. The crazy part is the cost of housing (and pretty much everything else) If your'e based in Toronto you'd need to commute an hour to find an "affordable" home that costs only $500K. Try that on an Air Canada salary of maybe $60K if your'e on the first 4 year flat rate.
12-26-2021, 06:24 AM
#214
It's 5 o'clock somewhere
Joined APC: Oct 2020
Posts: 2,244
The Canadian wages are insanely pathetic, probably among the worst in the world. I worked many years in Canada with a lot of those years as a captain and never broke $100K USD. I left and went to China and now fly for a US ULCC. The crazy part is the cost of housing (and pretty much everything else) If your'e based in Toronto you'd need to commute an hour to find an "affordable" home that costs only $500K. Try that on an Air Canada salary of maybe $60K if your'e on the first 4 year flat rate.
12-26-2021, 06:49 AM
#215
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Feb 2014
Posts: 117
Not much of a shortage. There's no 1500 hour rule so that helps. I regularly flew with FO's on the E175 that had less than 1000 hours and a commercial. There's a lot of crappy northern jobs that make flying in the south for poverty wages look like a nice upgrade. Very few airlines to choose from. There's no way for a Canadian pilot to immigrate to the US directly so the only options for Canadian pilots to work elsewhere are places like Asia and Africa.
12-26-2021, 07:19 AM
#216
On Reserve
Joined APC: Dec 2020
Position: 767 FO
Posts: 17
United 777 CA
35th Year
Non commuter
Before I post my numbers I need to explain the following:
I worked hard and worked the system to maximize my pay. This year was very unique to the UAL 777 fleet due to covid. Pre Covid most of our flying was very productive hard time with very little soft time. We had a lot of 4 day 28 to 30 hour trips in EWR on the 777.
This year with several 777 bases closed and most of our cargo flying out or ORD. We had a large cargo operation out of ORD for most of the year. This meant we had a lot of trips with significant soft time due to our contractual trip/duty rigs, min pay per day and 100% pay for deadhead. For example I had several 7 day trips that flew 16.5 hard hours but due to the contract paid 40 hours. I also had about a half dozen trips flown by operations (instructors, management, bought for training etc.) where we get 100% pay protection and your free from duty and you can pick up extra trips (double dip). Also senior manned about a half dozen times (100% premium pay).
While my days off officially were very low. But due to our contract requiring on global trips long layovers before the actual flying starting or after the actual flying ends and prior to deadheading home after the trip. We have the option to fake deadhead. You still get a positive space coach seat (vs. a first class if you took scheduled deadhead). So in reality you knock off a day or two days off scheduled trip length (vs taking long layover) on each end of scheduled flying. So in essence you can turn a 7 day trip into a 5 day trip (or at least 6 day trip).
Due IRS limits maxing out DC contributions at around $300,000 compensation (I believe actual number was $290,000 in 2021) our contract mandates all DC compensation in excess of this cap goes into our HRA VEBA. Basically money that grows tax free and used tax free after retirement on all approved medical expenses.
W2 $602,000
16% DC - $96,320 (about half in the DC and half in the RHA VEBA)
Total Compensation $698,000
Pay hours 1715
Hard actual flying hours 853
Average offical days off per month 10 to 12
Real days off due to fake DH 15-16 per month
I’ve heard rumors a lot FedEx and UPS pilots made far more due to covid and their contracts.
35th Year
Non commuter
Before I post my numbers I need to explain the following:
I worked hard and worked the system to maximize my pay. This year was very unique to the UAL 777 fleet due to covid. Pre Covid most of our flying was very productive hard time with very little soft time. We had a lot of 4 day 28 to 30 hour trips in EWR on the 777.
This year with several 777 bases closed and most of our cargo flying out or ORD. We had a large cargo operation out of ORD for most of the year. This meant we had a lot of trips with significant soft time due to our contractual trip/duty rigs, min pay per day and 100% pay for deadhead. For example I had several 7 day trips that flew 16.5 hard hours but due to the contract paid 40 hours. I also had about a half dozen trips flown by operations (instructors, management, bought for training etc.) where we get 100% pay protection and your free from duty and you can pick up extra trips (double dip). Also senior manned about a half dozen times (100% premium pay).
While my days off officially were very low. But due to our contract requiring on global trips long layovers before the actual flying starting or after the actual flying ends and prior to deadheading home after the trip. We have the option to fake deadhead. You still get a positive space coach seat (vs. a first class if you took scheduled deadhead). So in reality you knock off a day or two days off scheduled trip length (vs taking long layover) on each end of scheduled flying. So in essence you can turn a 7 day trip into a 5 day trip (or at least 6 day trip).
Due IRS limits maxing out DC contributions at around $300,000 compensation (I believe actual number was $290,000 in 2021) our contract mandates all DC compensation in excess of this cap goes into our HRA VEBA. Basically money that grows tax free and used tax free after retirement on all approved medical expenses.
W2 $602,000
16% DC - $96,320 (about half in the DC and half in the RHA VEBA)
Total Compensation $698,000
Pay hours 1715
Hard actual flying hours 853
Average offical days off per month 10 to 12
Real days off due to fake DH 15-16 per month
I’ve heard rumors a lot FedEx and UPS pilots made far more due to covid and their contracts.
I’ve heard rumors at purple that several pilots have passed the $1,000,000 mark in 20/21, but nobody I know personally has made that much. Maybe it’s just pilots telling tall tales 🤷♂️
12-26-2021, 08:00 AM
#218
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jun 2011
Posts: 1,091
Here’s the opposite end of the UPS spectrum. I used every available tool to work as little as possible at the expense of earning potential. Several conflicts throughout the year resulted in extra days off along with 2 weeks of vacation and 1 sick call. I used a contract provision to drop trips for no pay several times. Always made sure to maintain the minimum credit required to maintain vacation/sick/retirement accruals. No JA/OT pickups in 2021.
UPS 3/4 year FO
$222,400 gross
$25,200 B Plan DC
A Plan- $$??
$8400 per diem
2021 days worked averaged just under 10 per month
Commuter
UPS 3/4 year FO
$222,400 gross
$25,200 B Plan DC
A Plan- $$??
$8400 per diem
2021 days worked averaged just under 10 per month
Commuter
12-26-2021, 09:08 AM
#220
Prime Minister/Moderator
Joined APC: Jan 2006
Position: Engines Turn Or People Swim
Posts: 40,406
I've had reasonable confirmation from people who work at both DL and FDX that their top guys broke $1M last year... a LOT of hustle, and a lot of circumstance/timing with the fleet in question, but it happened. And will happen again this year.
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