best paying?

E

EastCoast

Well-Known Member
Been dispatching for close to 16 yes but have never worked at a major. I have not kept up with other airlines contracts. Out of the major u.s. airlines, which one tops out the highest?
 
Americans contract is available on the TWU website. They are not as high as Southwest. I do not know what the others pay.

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Hrrmm, I think Southwest's is the high top out on base pay now as of their last contract. I know UA/CO are still negotiating. DL is up there too depending on what position you're in. AA base pay is pretty low but they have a fuel savings bonus program that kicks a good amount of extra pay in. UPS pays well, and I've heard that FDX is comparable but don't have any facts or numbers to back that assertion up. Don't know what US pays either, though I have access to their contract somewhere.

You can always go in a break it down to an hourly rate and use that as a comparison. I know that UPS based purely on base pay is well into 6 digits annually, and SWA tops that. A few groups are in or starting their next contract negotiations... and I expect the average to climb.
 
Someone told me recently Delta's contract is structured that they will always make certain % more than a highest contract out there. Any truth to this?
 
just_blaze said:
Someone told me recently Delta's contract is structured that they will always make certain % more than a highest contract out there. Any truth to this?
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My friends at Delta all seem to have a standard base pay but maybe the top out is a % higher, I'll have to ask.
 
This isn't as easy a comparison as you would think since some carriers are salary, some are hourly and some base a significant percentage of pay on bonuses. That said, right now amongst the passenger carriers I believe it looks like this (I hope I don't offend anyone):

1. SWA
2. Delta (soon to be/currently in negotiations)
3. Alaska
4. UA/CO (in negotiations, will move to #2 and be better than CURRENT DL wages once signed, but likely lower than whatever the new contract DL negotiates)
5. AA (new contract/wage rates + fuel bonus were supposed to bump them past AS, not sure of the timing though, it may already be in effect)
6. US (will be on the AA scale once merger is worked out)
7. JetBlue
8. Frontier
9. VX

I don't know where the box haulers slot in here. Also, factoring in individual various bonuses, differentials, etc. the top 6 here could change positions pretty easily as they are all very close except for SWA which is a healthy distance above the other 5 majors and US which is currently a decent distance behind but not for long. It is pretty fluid as all the unions are bargaining at different times and it seems they piggyback off of each other's gains/losses.
 
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DL starting pay for a full flight superintendent is just over $60K/yr. Let's not forget the cargos: UPS, if I'm not mistaken, starts out at $69K/yr. FDX's scale is not public, so maybe some FDX's can shine the light on that area.
 
I am pretty sure Virgin America pays better than Frontier. Of course they are also based in the Bay area, where getting a decent 1 BD apartment near work will cost you at least $2000/month.

I agree that the big cargo boys should be included - I think UPS's pay scale is pretty similar to that of Southwest.
 
FedEx will start between 59-66. This is based on overrides and if you have a college degree and how much experience you bring to the table. On average, we are starting between 65-70. There are various overrides as well as some incentive programs as one progresses through the pay scale.
 
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UPS was the top payer until SWA agreed to match their pay and actually exceeded it but I expect UPS will top SW soon. Much like other work groups the top cargo outfits are outpacing passenger carriers in wages. FX top Dx are making roughly what we are MX control 100 to 110k a yr. If I am wrong maybe PlaneFan 82 can let us know.
 
Rogo said:
B6 starts out in the 60's and tops out over 100's.
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It sounds like both JBLU and Virgin America pay better than either AA or US currently - unsure of what Frontier's scale is. That is of course in two of the most expensive places in the country to live (SFO and JFK.) I am sure that the combined AA/US contract will raise wages - but how much will be up to negotiation.
 
The combined AA/US contract is only likely to keep things for the most part status quo. They want to raise AA starting pay to US starting pay and US top out to AA top out. The reason being is that in 2015 by contract, AA management will average out the pay of US, UAL, Southwest, and Delta and that will become the new AA scale. If US/AA agree to a contract that is mostly the same as AA has now, it takes US out of the averaging equation and thus raises the wages further without the need for a long negotiation with management. The union wants us to keep fuel bonus on top of that which will add about 17K per year. So with the average of DL, UAL, SWA, and the fuel bonus it will put AA in a good position. This assumes US will agree to most of the AA contract but the AA work schedule of 6-3, 6-3, 6-6 and rotating mids, AMs, PMs regardless of seniority is a point of contention for the US guys among a few other things.
 
B6 and VX both pay better, however cost of living in those cities (along with taxes) are also exponentially higher than where other carriers are located.
 
PlaneFan82 said:
B6 and VX both pay better, however cost of living in those cities (along with taxes) are also exponentially higher than where other carriers are located.
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While JFK and SFO are definitely high, I don't think they are "exponentially" higher than life in SEA or ORD (or HNL, for that matter.) I don't think DEN is that cheap either. DFW and PIT are of course a lot less expensive...although parts of DFW can be pretty pricey.
 
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