DogwoodLynx
Well-Known Member
True, but most people just complain and do nothing to move themselves forward.
Compensation for new dispatchers
- Thread starter Victor's_Vector
- Start date
True, but most people just complain and do nothing to move themselves forward.
manniax
Well-met in the Ka-tet
Here's a link to an article about the NASA study they did on the subject. There's a video also.
http://aviationweek.com/technology/nasa-advances-single-pilot-operations-concepts
Dart_8992
Well-Known Member
I don't think Majors should pay less. I just think that this recent trend of every new contract significantly increasing wages is going to come to an end sooner rather than later. I think it will start trending more towards raises just for cost of living increases, rather than large raises at every contract renewal.
I of course hope that isn't the case, its just what I personally see coming.
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Victor's_Vector
New Member
Are regional dispatchers seen by their employers as overpaid secretaries - as they're compensated currently - or competent people capable of bringing value to regional operations? This answer will determine much for me.
Victor's_Vector
New Member
A much bigger problem is folks accepting the status quo and allowing the regionals to require them to grovel for scraps like peasants, instead of recognizing the value that capable dispatchers can bring through compensation!
Dart_8992
Well-Known Member
I can't give an honest opinion on the regionals. I know the pay isnt great, but I've never worked for one in order to form an opinion about how DXers are treated, or how the company views them.
From the outside looking in, the entire business model is based on cutting cost wherever possible. So as long as the unions keep agreeing to sign these contracts, why would the company change it's mindset? However, the way people on this forum talk about regional carriers gives me the impression that they view their dispatchers as an expense rather than an asset.
Sorry for not being much help
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who'swho
Don't hesitate. Penetrate!
A big reason for the pay remaining stagnant is that the unions at the regional dispatch level are very weak. The reason for that is the majority of dispatchers st the regionals don't plan on staying. So while they are there they see the fight for a better contract as a waste of their time rather than trying to make the best of their situation while they are employed at a regional.
FXMXC
Well-Known Member
I don't buy that argument. Regional pay across all work groups sucks plain and simple. A lot of the regional pilots are represented by ALPA and their pay sucks. Lets face it as long as the majors are the brass ring to strive for and pay the best the regionals are going to get away with paying the way they do. The pilot group is using flow programs to a major airline as a means to attract people to fly airplanes for crap wages. Until it gets to the point where they can't fill positions they will continue to pay the way they do and lets face it that is not likely to happen in the DX group there are not that many of you. It is more likely to happen in the pilot and mechanic groups.
DogwoodLynx
Well-Known Member
I can't speak for other people, but I'm very satisfied with where I am now. I work with a great OCC and my management is really great. Sure, I'd like to be paid more (who doesn't?) but its not like I'm on food stamps either. I make it work, and sometimes that means compromising on things.
Overall, I'm happier than I've ever been (even when I made a little more money than I do now).
manniax
Well-met in the Ka-tet
Final comment on this matter...what people in other career fields make has absolutely nothing to do with how much airline dispatchers make. If you want to feel guilty because dispatchers at major airlines make more than public school teachers, go right ahead...but I'm certainly not going to.
who'swho
Don't hesitate. Penetrate!
ALPA hasn't exactly been a shining knight in armor when it comes to representing the regional pilots. At the regional I was at there was little to no participation in the union, especially from the jr dispatchers. The reason they gave was always "well I don't plan on staying so I don't really care". Naturally everyone complained when we got saddled with terrible representation.
You clearly missed my point of bringing up other u ionized positions. Major payscales have boomed in recent years which isn't typical to see in a union negotiation. Never said people should be paid less either. Noone ever said they feel guilty either. Just continue to put words in peoples mouths and miss the point.
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manniax
Well-met in the Ka-tet
Your point that you feel major airline dispatchers are "vastly overpaid"? You're the one who said it first in this thread. I disagree with your reasoning on that subject - don't forget that after 9/11 no unionized airline groups saw a raise for many years - but hey, you're entitled to your opinion. I just find your reasoning for having that opinion to be rather flawed.
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manniax
Well-met in the Ka-tet
It really depends on the regional. I have worked at some regionals where it did seem they felt we were glorified clerks - but I think the largest regionals (SkyWest, Republic) do recognize the work that their dispatchers perform, and have fairly well-managed offices.
4EngineETOPS
Well-Known Member
Any ideas or advice for dispatchers at non-major carriers going forward? Is getting into a training/duty manager-type position at a non-major carrier the way to go, or is trying to go the internal route better? Either way it sounds like luck/timing will be a pretty large factor.
manniax
Well-met in the Ka-tet
Luck and timing always have a role (a few years ago the majors were hiring like crazy) but so does networking. I think the ideal model for a dispatch career would be to get your license, have a four-year degree (in pretty much anything), get some regional experience, then get some larger carrier or supplemental experience, then get on with a major. You can of course go straight from regional to major. (My own route was reigonal-regional-startup-regional (due to startup going out of business)-major.)
Having a pilot license can also help a bit in getting "noticed" but I think the most important thing (more so than having a degree) is having solid Part 121 dispatching experience...and networking. (Having some experience as an operations manager/coordinator can help as well.) As far as networking goes, I am a fan (and member) of the ADF, which has annual events where you can meet dispatchers from all over the industry - but it's not the only way to do it either. It's also important to remember that dispatch is a small community, so try to have a good work ethic and not get "noticed" in a bad way as a marginal employee.
Another important thing is to be willing to move, and to APPLY to every major airline opening you see (unless it's in a city you absolutely despise and could never see yourself living in.) Every major passenger carrier still hires externally - even Delta, on occasion, as was evidenced by their recent external class.
Some people are lucky and get on with a major right away - even without working at a regional. (I know of one person who was able to land a load planner position and transfer into dispatch less than a year later - however he did have a meteorology degree.) Others work at regionals and LCC's a long time before getting the opportunity (in my case over ten years - I was hired straight into dispatch though.)
Good luck with your airline/dispatch career!
Kev
RNP 2112
But... I'm already a Super Dispatcher.
But Seriously. We had a manager come in and brief us at the beginning of recurrent training going over this and how our jobs might be at risk within the foreseeable future, etc. And then he segued into (paraphrasing) "and dispatchers? Well, are they going to be worth the money to the airline? Maybe - maybe not. As long as they prove their worth... So, some of the stuff we're doing that y'all have been complaining about - just keep that in mind."
So, every time we anticipate changing conditions and fuel accordingly and deal with customer service and maintenance escalations, and basically do anything that's outside the scope of a boring, routine operation that could very well be automated... we throw a good "Man, I'm sure glad I'm proving my worth" or "Let's see a robot do THAT!" out to the floor.
Dang ro-butts. Takin' our jobs.
manniax
Well-met in the Ka-tet
If it was purely up to airline management, our jobs would no longer exist in their present form (or would be outsourced to Jeppesen, et al.) Proving our worth with the pilot group on a daily basis IS important as they are one of our biggest defenders, but I think our position is pretty strongly codified with the FAA at this point. The job may evolve, it may become more automated to the point that dispatch offices get smaller, but I don't see the job ever going away completely. There have been numerous "assaults" on the profession since the 1970's, and the FAA never has changed the regulations (in large part because of public input, and from groups like the ADF.) As with all things - time will tell.
CrippleHawk
Well-Known Member
Regional airlines burn more money on maintenance on an Out of Service Aircraft in a day, enough to pay 2 dispatchers their entire yearly salaries.
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