jungle

Make fewer pilots.

PolishPilot

Tristar, I agree completely, it does look like a greyhound bus station. It used to be that if you can afford to fly, you would fly. It was almost as if you increased your status in the society by flying. And if you couldnt afford to fly, you took the bus or train across the country. but those times are over, and we all know it.
And yeah, I remember that people used to get dressed when they flew. I might be young but my parents had me dressed up when I was younger when I had to fly cross Atlantic. But maybe that's because my parents made me do it
Not to digress too much, I flew on Jet Blue from Florida to NYC about a year ago, and a guy sitting next to me had the testicles (ahem) to take his shoes off and just sit there, stinking up the plane, I mean, comon, really? where are the manners?

I might of missed the fact that the government doesnt care, and sure there are bigger problems and issues that the government is facing right now. But it's not like this would be something the government has to pay. It is a service fee that has to be implemented to each ticket. simple as that. and it's completely not like your baggage fee or the new ryan air toilet fee (that's just, funny, heh) anyway, it's more like a tax, mandated by all 121 carriers, so that all ticket prices go up the same amount, for all airlines, not just delta, or american.

And for those of you guys commuting, paying 5 dollars to fly from chicago to NYC, for example, would be all that much? I mean it costs 2 dollars to travel on the subway in NYC. 5 dollars to fly anywhere to me isn't that much, to help and support your fellow pilots.
Am I that crazy to actually see this work? Heck, if ryan air can charge for their use of a toilet, a simple fee to increase pilot's pay, I feel would be more rational. Besides, from what I've seen, most regional pilots complain because of the low pay and long days. Don't you think that over time it would maybe make the pilot's feel a little bit better coming to work, knowing you're getting paid a little bit more for your work?

The crew who landed in the hudson did a great job with bringing the reality of pilot's lives to the public, but still, when someone asks me how much a starting regional airline pilot makes, I respond by saying mid 20K per year, which is about right. Then I get called a liar and get cursed out sometimes, so yea, perhaps it's time the public was made aware of this because it seems unreal to me that the public is doesnt want to believe me (and im pretty sure most of you guys have similar experiences with this). Or perhaps they dont care as long as the ticket prices get cheaper so they can fly a thousand miles on a nice jet for as little as possible.

XSive

aaahh I could use an extra 1500 a month..too bad the damn airline execs would find a way to steal that from us too

wheresmyplane

Another thing I noticed while staying at a hotel last week - there's a room tax and an occupancy tax. So what is that? You have to pay a tax for staying in the room, but then you have to pay a tax because there IS a room? If people accept this without complaining, we could get a $5 fee through. Tack it onto the rest of the fees like on a cell phone bill. That seems to work for those people.

bryris

Capitalism will sort out the wages situation on its own, sans government. There is a gluttony of pilots right now. All an employer has to do is merely look like he's hiring and he'll be flooded with pilots looking for a job. From a capitalistic viewpoint, why pay more to someone to do the job when someone else will do it for that low rate? Furthermore, why potentially burden your customers with an extra fee that will do nothing but potentially deter them to another company?

The reality: Its going to have to get REALLY bad so that enough pilots throw in the towel and the ranks get cleaned out a bit or when the economy recovers and age 65 runs its course. When the job line ends and the recruiter still needs pilots and the resume stack is no longer several feet high, the wages will go up.

wizepilot

I've been in aviation since 1973. I remember what it was like. To be an airline pilot back then was like being a neurosurgeon or something like that ( don't take me seriously on that one). The public perception today is that we are a highly paid bunch of bus drivers that still make that kind of money like back then. The public thinks we are all rich beyond belief, just because we fly airplanes. We will never be able to educate them otherwise.

As far as a $5 fee. We ALL would like to make a little more money, ya know, feed our kids, ourselves, etc. We do not need anymore government intervention on what we do. If they said "We have to implement a $5 fee for this or for that" John Q. Public would have a ******fit. And then the cost of mandating and implementing this would be horrendous. Remember how well and "efficient" our elected officials run things. Okay, rant over.

ERJFO

I hate to say it, but the way to increase pilot pay is decrease supply. As more people quit this job for more lucrative careers it'll get better. The more people the leave, the better it will get.

CaptainTeezy

It is simple...forget about the pilot group as a whole. The pilot group as a whole is pretty dumb/underqualified...I mean they push buttons in jets at 300 hours, and if an FO can push those buttons at 300 hours who gives a Flurk if he can push them at 2000 hours...how great can they be??? Thus pay goes down. Think about yourself when it comes to pay...dont run with your hair on fire to the nearest regional airline as if they have the only fire hose in town.

Flight instruct to 135 mins or ATP mins and actually LEARN something, and then go to the BEST PAYING regional...or go to a 135 operation. 135 operators usually hire first year guys at 24k and then they advance up to 30k much quicker than going through the 121 route. I would say a guy with 1 year of 135 experience is worth 30-40k easy. Guys with 135 experience are almost always better pilots due to the fact they usually dont have a captain to babysit them and you cant get into a 135 operation with only 300 hours. Also they often have less automated aircraft and pink line producing equipment (They actually have to know what they are doing and be situationally aware).

Does that really make sense...the guy with less experience is flying bigger equipment and the guy with 135/ATP mins is flying a smaller PISTON aircraft???...a guy with 1500 hours is flying a piston twin (by himself) is making more $$$ than a guy with 300 hours flying a jet? Then you need to remember that a lot of 135 operators dont care to interview 121 SIC guys because they know they probably dont have PIC time or decision making experience with the wx/NOTAMS/or just straight up have a pair.

What are most guys with 1 year of 121 experience worth at the regional level worth? 16k to 22k. The BEST PAYING regional (Horizon) starts out at about 27k. I am also describing a "normal" economic climate. Of course then you have to remember ANYONE who flys a jet at the REGIONAL level is helping to nose dive, and add full power, to the plane that is carrying pilot salaries.

mrmak2

How about not jumping to the lowest paying, bottom-feeder, no-union scab airline that will hire you first?

I think if pilots had a bit more dignity and waited until they could be hired by a respectable top-tier regional then it would force the bottom end of the airline spectrum to strighten up.

Don't be in such a hurry to become a "real airline pilot."

Don't count on the quick upgrade either. I think it's obvious now that you can be stuck somewhere for quite a while. Do your homework and find out where you really want to be.

CaptainTeezy

Why even go to a regional?!?!?! That is where the low pay comes from...go to another type of flying. The problem is everyone is caught up with the contract/politics rumors that they never stop to realize....THE SIMPLE FACT THAT YOU EVEN PARTICIPATE IN THE REGIONAL AIRLINE GAME IS WHY YOUR PAY IS GARBAGE! 135 operators were DESPARATE for pilots just 6 months ago...those guys are less likely to get furloughed due to the fact that they are usually not as directly connected to the public and economy.