sixpack
New Member
This is something that user john_tenney posted on Aug16 on thread "Hello and Help!". It is a list of downsides to the airline career.
Although I agree with his list, I'd like to compare it to other occupations.
[ QUOTE ]
...but here are some downsides:
1) Commuting (HUGE!)
2) Low pay
3) Overnights away from home
4) Long duty days
5) No privacy to speak of. (People watch pilots now.)
6) Security aka the TSA Nazis
7) No planning ability (your schedule changes month to month.)
[/ QUOTE ]
I worked in the High Tech industry for many years. Here's how the list compares.
1) Commuting (HUGE!)
commuted during rush hour weekdays. 1.7 hours on the automobile-hobbs. About 37.4 frustrating hours per month.
2) Low pay
OK, the pay was descent. More than an FO, but much less than a major Captain.
3) Overnights away from home
Went on 5 business trips to Israel in one year, plus a few domestic trips. Overall, away from home about 10 weeks (20% of the year)
4) Long duty days
Left for work around 6:15am. Got home around 6:45pm. Logged into work from home after dinner from 9pm to 11:30pm. You do the math.
5) No privacy to speak of. (People watch pilots now.)
Have you ever worked in a cubicle?
6) Security aka the TSA Nazis
Guards at all doors. You wear a badge with a microchip inside. As you walk throught the door, a scanner scans your face to determine if it matches the information on the microchip in your badge. If there's a mismatch, an alarm goes off.
7) No planning ability (your schedule changes month to month.)
Project take priority over vacations, but you can make plans in advance. However, the number of days/weeks off in a year is very much less than in the airline industry.
Now I'm not saying that High Tech (or other careers) have more downside than the airlines. They don't really. But I think the difference is less than you'd think, because you don't see the details of any industry until you get up close. That's why I like this forum so much. The members posting bring new light and exposure onto this industry.
-sixpack
PS: Thanks john_tenney, for inspiring this post.
Although I agree with his list, I'd like to compare it to other occupations.
[ QUOTE ]
...but here are some downsides:
1) Commuting (HUGE!)
2) Low pay
3) Overnights away from home
4) Long duty days
5) No privacy to speak of. (People watch pilots now.)
6) Security aka the TSA Nazis
7) No planning ability (your schedule changes month to month.)
[/ QUOTE ]
I worked in the High Tech industry for many years. Here's how the list compares.
1) Commuting (HUGE!)
commuted during rush hour weekdays. 1.7 hours on the automobile-hobbs. About 37.4 frustrating hours per month.
2) Low pay
OK, the pay was descent. More than an FO, but much less than a major Captain.
3) Overnights away from home
Went on 5 business trips to Israel in one year, plus a few domestic trips. Overall, away from home about 10 weeks (20% of the year)
4) Long duty days
Left for work around 6:15am. Got home around 6:45pm. Logged into work from home after dinner from 9pm to 11:30pm. You do the math.
5) No privacy to speak of. (People watch pilots now.)
Have you ever worked in a cubicle?
6) Security aka the TSA Nazis
Guards at all doors. You wear a badge with a microchip inside. As you walk throught the door, a scanner scans your face to determine if it matches the information on the microchip in your badge. If there's a mismatch, an alarm goes off.
7) No planning ability (your schedule changes month to month.)
Project take priority over vacations, but you can make plans in advance. However, the number of days/weeks off in a year is very much less than in the airline industry.
Now I'm not saying that High Tech (or other careers) have more downside than the airlines. They don't really. But I think the difference is less than you'd think, because you don't see the details of any industry until you get up close. That's why I like this forum so much. The members posting bring new light and exposure onto this industry.
-sixpack
PS: Thanks john_tenney, for inspiring this post.