belliott

42/hr to 20/hr is an option but like I said it would hurt. I agree that regional executives (along with most airline executives it seems) are the problem... not us...

ShyGuy

Not the same comparison. I was at Pinnacle for 4.5 yrs and always had CA as #1 on bid sheet. I never got it. However, anyone at a regional today that has been there 10 years, DID have a chance to get out. Even after 9/11, there was one point where everyone was hiring except American. And it's not that hard to get out of a regional, even I escaped.

FlyJSH

Okay, let's think about how poor their planning was:

15 years with the company, so hired in 1997 near ATP mins (because that we needed back then). He probably figured a couple years to upgrade and a couple more until getting on at AA (daddy was on the hiring committee). Hmmm, four years would be right at 2001. What happened that year? Okay, so a couple years later, the mainlines start hiring again, but now there are about three times as many applicants because even the most junior captains have years of PIC. Applications go out, then he finally gets an interview date until somebody decided to let everybody work five more years. Then the economy tanks. Well, maybe in a few more years when AA has recalled its last 1600, this guy will be around 50 years old and can look forward to sitting reserve again and not get back to the same pay for half a dozen more years. And all because he made some bad choices.

FlyJSH

It must be your rosy personality.

higney85

Easy to say, but for some hard to do. Not speaking personally, but I am friends with enough of those that you speak of to see both sides. Not saying I agree, but QOL and pay to easily live on (for a senior bidding CA) can make someone reconsider at the bottom of a list. I remember seeing something about after $100K it doesn't matter the pay compared to QOL for many. If someone lives on $75K a year and home every weekend and holiday, nobody can judge what is "right" for them but them with their families. Age 55 and in the 20's definitely carries a difference in decision making. I remember indoc and being told "we plan on this airline being your stepping-stone". Well, for some that can be 100% true, for others it may not be reality at the dinner table and openly discussing pro's and con's to jumping ship for plans of a better, yet unknown future.

All that has been solidified is that the next chapter of "the race to the bottom" which, seemingly, is being written. Maybe we should get a reality TV show so we can make some money. All snooki had to do was get a pregnant (mush mush) to pay for retirement. Well played myans...well played.

ShyGuy

Higney85, that's the point. Do not let the golden handcuffs tie you down. Now if a RJ Captain wants to stay voluntarily for 10 or 15+ years because of QOL and schedules, pay, then fine. But do not disguise this as "wasn't able to leave through no fault of his own.". It means he did have opportunity to leave when majors were hiring but he elected to stay to enjoy their RJ Captain pay/QOL/schedules. In essence, they took a gamble. Now it seems 9E will be the next Comair.

FlyJSH

Wrong. Take a look at my previous post. A guy hired in 1997 pretty much hit the perfect storm. 9/11, age 65, oil through the roof in 07/08.

But that's okay. You are the "Seer of all Seers, the Knower of all things, the Virgin of all pilots." For your sake, (truly) I hope Virgin takes off and you can thump your chest and tell us all how smart you were. But beware, the next bad thing is just around the corner, and now that you are the FNG at a dicey upstart, you will be the first to be furloughed. Sir Richard is a genius, but part of being smart is knowing when to fold.

Red97Vette

this reminds me of a quote from Richard. He was asked once, how do you become a millionaire in the airline business. His response was: easy, just start with a billion.

He has made a ton of money, but with the airlines, he has lost a lot. Owning an airline just seems to be "glamorous" and thus must off-set the losses... This is speaking of Virgin Atlantic though. Who knows how he feels about an American off shoot version. Though he is not the majority owner either, so there are lots of others with interests beyond what Richard has in mind.

IBPilot

that's your biggest fantasy yet. How many major pilots were hired in the past 10 years vs regional pilots? and not everyone wants to go to US Air and make less than they are now for the next 15 years.....lets say "quality" majors? Figure in the pool of military and corporate thats alot of competition for not many seats.

mooney

Those who went to Eastern, Pan am and TWA took a gamble too. My God what horrible career decisions they made!!! What were they thinking!!! Don't act like you are wiser, safer or luckier than us because you left a regional to go to a start up just because timing was in your favor.