SkyHigh

They are living in rural America in urban slums or beynd their means. Most airline jobs have a major city as the base. Try supporting a family of four on $46,326 in Los Angles.

Skyhigh

JoeyMeatballs

My mans right, for what the airlines ask us to sacrifice, it is a disgrace that I go to work everyday for $23/hr, Honestly I dont know how people respect what I do when I make so little, and it is not easy to move up, and if your lucky enough to move on, YIPPIE back to the bottom of the payscale once agian as well as a Seniority system that can allow someone to just be "stapled" to the bottom of a list............... I have to admit I wonder why I am doing this, I love to fly, but lets face it 121 isnt really flying, yes a circle to land 29 in EWR is fun but that happens every once in 3 months, I dont know I just think we as a pilot group better get some PAY and QOL back to make this "Bull****" all worth it.............

SkyHigh

You have excellently summarised all my issues with a modern airline career.

The sad fact is that it will only get worse. We all must either deal with the shortcomings or more on to a better life.

Skyhigh

JoeyMeatballs

I dunno, I hope it doesnt get worse, I think the next several years of CAL, and the other large airlines and how they handle their contract negotiations will be a prelude to the future, however as we have seen with 9/11 it does not take too much, or too long for the industry to go south quickly........... When I am off probation in October I will get involved with my union and honestly try to do what ever I can to make my airline the best that it can be, I understand I am just one person, but but together I honestly think any pilot group as a whole, if they work together, can make some changes, then again MESA pilots take the abuse on a daily basis, so we will see........

PS. I think in todays economic environment, however, CEO's and shareholders do not care about their company being #1, they care about their bonuses and as long as they have their millions they could care less about the people that are the soul of the airline............the EMPLOYEES who have taken concessions to allow the company to only stay afloat long enough for the CEO's to take large bonuses, I just dont understand how this can happen, Look at the concessions AA pilots took, the AIRLINE is finally making money, not becuase of the CEO's brilliant leadership, but becuase of the Employees busting their asses..................and rather than give it back to the employees those greedy BASTARDS STOLE millions from them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

kalyx522

lol, good point. I am kinda in that pathetic situation.. he takes care of our pets at home while I'm away most of the month, and he still pays most of the bills. We joke that I'll make it up to him when I become a hotshot 747 driver and start paying all the bills and he can be a stay at home dad.. or vice versa, he has no prob with me not having a salaried job and staying at home as I long I can be a house slave/raise the kids. Right now it's uneven and he has both the jobs of main breadwinner and caretaker of pets.. it helps to have a partner in the biz, they understand.. still, maybe the most understanding person will get fed up someday too.. I think us regional people are all hoping it won't stay this way forever...

rickair7777

Must have been some time ago...I know all too well that $55K would have been an above-average salary in the early 90's but that was because the economy in general, and heavy industry in particular, was in the toilet.

My brother graduated as a systems engineer (undergrad) in May (after a long military stint) and had three job offers around $80K. One offer was at CAT in Peoria, which is not exactly a high-cost-of living town. That's starting salary, plus he had some signing incentives.


$75K might work right up until the time that you realize that you're tired of busting your ballz just to get by.

Also I suspect that you might not be saving adequately for retirement...you will need at least $1M (million, 10^6) to fund a modest retirement. Of course you don't need any retirement planning at all if you just intend to live off of social security

NE_Pilot

Ok here is a better question to ask, what do you consider a liveable income to be?? Considering that you would just be getting by at $75k.

Also, just for clarification, I am in no way saying that the current airline pay is justified.

JoeyMeatballs

It all depends on where you live...........................what kind of lifestyle you want to live, for what my $390,000.00 apartment got me, well my g/f , in Northern NJ could have bought a compound in TX, but who the hell wants to live in Hillbilly Texas

rickair7777

Assuming you have no independent finances (inheritance, trust fund, military pension, etc), $150K would be reasonable for a family of four. This would allow you to...

-Own an upper-middle class home in a major urban area (or a modest ranch/farm in the sticks).

-Furnish your home.

-Own 2 reasonable cars.

-Save for retirement: 15% to 401k PLUS another 10-15% to personal investment vehicles. If you start at age 22, the 15% to the 401k might be enough but most folks don't start that young. For retirement planning you need to assume that you will live to age 90...that's where the trend is going and you don't want to be a burden to your kids. You will need at least $1 Million to retire modestly, more if you want to be very active and/or retire earlier than 60.

-Afford a couple of nice vacations each year.

-Pay for day care and other kiddie expenses.

-Save for college (x2).

-Own a cabin or time-share condo.

-Own a boat, airplane, dirt bikes, or other hobby item (your wife will want her own hobby...maybe a horse).

This all assumes an somewhat upper-middle class lifestyle. I can positevly 100% guarantee you that SJS will NOT allow you to be satisfied living a lower-class lifestyle for the next 30-40 years...it only lasts for 6-12 months.

I know a number of regional CA's who get by fine on $80-90K, but they all have somehing going for them...either the spouse works, or they made out in the real estate boom. A big real-estate score can pretty much provide the retirement fund....now all you need is beer money. Since we are having this conversation, I assume that you didn't do real-estate in 1999 and instead will have to save for your own retirement.

Paok

All you ever talk about is how your GF makes 100,000........shut up already.... we dont care about the 335 and your rice burning honda....