Compensation for new dispatchers

[Scarebus]

Roughly 40% of my dispatch office holds, or has held a private or higher rating. About 70% have 4 year degrees. ou need to meet more dispatchers... check the local bars! We know where the best happy hour specials are.... it’s all’s e can afford

That's my experience as well, not sure where that guy was meeting dispatchers. Maybe he is referring to 911 dispatchers? At my regional the majority had bachelor degrees and probably 25% were private pilots.

 

[Dart_8992]

That's my experience as well, not sure where that guy was meeting dispatchers. Maybe he is referring to 911 dispatchers? At my regional the majority had bachelor degrees and probably 25% were private pilots.

Yea, I don't know what he is on about either. Everyone I have worked with in DX either has a degree, has pilot's license, or has a long history in other Aviation related Fields. I think I've met maybe one DXer that didn't have one of these.

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[A-9er]

We know where the best happy hour specials are.... it’s all’s e can afford

 

[manniax]

I do find it interesting that there are dispatchers here who think that major airline dispatchers make too much money. Presumably, the goal of most dispatchers is to someday work for a major - do you think the people working there now should seek lower wages, so that you'll earn less if you get hired by one of them? Makes no sense to me.

 

[who'swho]

Roughly 40% of my dispatch office holds, or has held a private or higher rating. About 70% have 4 year degrees. ou need to meet more dispatchers... check the local bars! We know where the best happy hour specials are.... it’s all’s e can afford

I would say those estimates apply to the dispatch offices I've worked in as well.

 

[who'swho]

I do find it interesting that there are dispatchers here who think that major airline dispatchers make too much money. Presumably, the goal of most dispatchers is to someday work for a major - do you think the people working there now should seek lower wages, so that you'll earn less if you get hired by one of them? Makes no sense to me.

Yeah, I wonder if they would say to the company "Oh, you can keep xx% of my check. I'll survive just fine on this smaller check." And apparently it makes you a socialist if you don't do that.

 

[flyingmedic]

That may be the case where you are, but, in my experience, it is NOT the norm. Not by a long shot.

 

[Flagship_dxer]

It was summized superbly above. This job requires the same prerequisite to achieve as the person asking you if you’d like fries with that. In fact, occasionally that order taker will have a degree, it is FAR and few DXers who do. In over 20 years I’ve met a handful who weren’t Management that held any degree. It’s rare to find a pilot license amongst the group. All that and people want to come into the field making 50K. So doesn’t the business grad taking your order. It’s human nature.....maximize reward, minimal effort. Not for everyone, certainly. But most.

I don't know what your smoking or where you are working. Even at the regionals most have degrees. At the majors, few get hired without one. I know many who have commercial and CFI ratings. Also are a decent number who are pilots that lost their medical or preferred being in their bed every night.

 

[Flagship_dxer]

When you think about it, airlines all logically should be concerned about their dispatch compensation because of how important dispatchers are to their operation. Dispatchers are the ones that make the airline daily operation run. The daily management of the flight schedule, cancellations, equipment changes and managing ATC delays are all things the dispatchers do at every airline. The fuel bill is largely determined by dispatchers as well. You want well educated people making decisions that can make or break your airline.

 

[Squirrel]

When new Dispatchers stop taking the crappy starting pay at regionals then the pay will go up.

Can't believe people on here thinks major dispatchers are overpaid. College degree doesn't set the standard on what someone gets paid. A person gets paid for their responsibilities and what they can bring to a company. A good dispatcher can save a company millions of dollars each year. A bad dispatcher can cost the same each year.

 

[LastMinuteAirline]

I also completely disagree that dx at majors is overpaid. Vast responsibilities that can have major impact on profitability and safety. I don’t think I have any coworkers that don’t have a college degree or pilot ratings or both. As for low regional wages, I think of it like college football. They know you have to do it before you can make it to the NFL and can therefore screw us for a few years.

 

[fuelerdx]

When new Dispatchers stop taking the crappy starting pay at regionals then the pay will go up.

Can't believe people on here thinks major dispatchers are overpaid. College degree doesn't set the standard on what someone gets paid. A person gets paid for their responsibilities and what they can bring to a company. A good dispatcher can save a company millions of dollars each year. A bad dispatcher can cost the same each year.

To be clear I am talking about top out pay on contracts and not starting salaries. Major starting salaries are what I would expect, but the top outs seem inflated by the unions over time. Not saying they don't deserve good pay, and not saying regional pay is what we are worth. But people on the forum seem to always want more more more out do the contracts and it's never enough for them. How about our police, fire, EMS and teachers make more. It's the attitude that people always deserve more drives me nuts.

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[Socks and sandals]

To be clear I am talking about top out pay on contracts and not starting salaries. Major starting salaries are what I would expect, but the top outs seem inflated by the unions over time. Not saying they don't deserve good pay, and not saying regional pay is what we are worth. But people on the forum seem to always want more more more out do the contracts and it's never enough for them. How about our police, fire, EMS and teachers make more. It's the attitude that people always deserve more drives me nuts.

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Maybe you should move into middle management... They sometimes make less than dispatchers.

 

[manniax]

Yeah, I wonder if they would say to the company "Oh, you can keep xx% of my check. I'll survive just fine on this smaller check." And apparently it makes you a socialist if you don't do that.

I also don't think I've ever seen a regional airline pilot saying that major airline pilots make too much money. I've seen them complain about the low wages regional airlines pay pilots (although they seem to have gone up a lot in recent years) but I've never seen any of them saying, those greedy major pilots! How dare they make that much money! (Admittedly, I don't peruse pilot forums that often.) Anyhow - I think everyone would be wise to remember the phrase "a rising tide lifts all boats."

 

[McCrosky]

To be clear I am talking about top out pay on contracts and not starting salaries. Major starting salaries are what I would expect, but the top outs seem inflated by the unions over time. Not saying they don't deserve good pay, and not saying regional pay is what we are worth. But people on the forum seem to always want more more more out do the contracts and it's never enough for them. How about our police, fire, EMS and teachers make more. It's the attitude that people always deserve more drives me nuts.

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Its not so much about wanting more more more. It’s about maintaining the same. For example, using an inflation caculator to detremine the value of you pay 10 years ago versus what amount is worth today you see the loss of buying power. Most contracts, with some exceptions, go with abiut a 3% annual increase for a COLA amount. You’re not really getting “more” in real world numbers.

 

[flynryan692]

You guys make it seem as if you're never going to go to any major if you don't have a 4 year degree or a PPL or better. So I guess if you're at a regional and don't have that, well too bad, give up? I call BS. I know more than one person at a major that has none of that. Jut be good at your job and network.

 

[R2D]

You guys make it seem as if you're never going to go to any major if you don't have a 4 year degree or a PPL or better. So I guess if you're at a regional and don't have that, well too bad, give up? I call BS. I know more than one person at a major that has none of that. Jut be good at your job and network.

Certainly, but it helps. The issue arose up-thread when dispatchers were equated to fry cooks in their qualifications. Being a well-rounded candidate is the way to go. A four year degree, a network, and good recommendations go a long way.

 

[Squirrel]

To be clear I am talking about top out pay on contracts and not starting salaries. Major starting salaries are what I would expect, but the top outs seem inflated by the unions over time. Not saying they don't deserve good pay, and not saying regional pay is what we are worth. But people on the forum seem to always want more more more out do the contracts and it's never enough for them. How about our police, fire, EMS and teachers make more. It's the attitude that people always deserve more drives me nuts.

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Well imo dispatchers in a company should be paid all the same as we are all doing the same job. Excluding overrides for international training atc. But everyone of them think company seniority needs to be factored in payscales. Even if a newly hired dispatcher has 15 to 20 years experience.

 

[SpaceBeagle]

Wait what, this is the airlines. Seniority is everything and it'll always be that way. Would you rather never get a raise?

 

[Dart_8992]

Well imo dispatchers in a company should be paid all the same as we are all doing the same job. Excluding overrides for international training atc. But everyone of them think company seniority needs to be factored in payscales. Even if a newly hired dispatcher has 15 to 20 years experience.

This will never happen. That seniority and higher pay is what discourages senior dispatchers from leaving.

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