United

Honestly all the pay scales at all the majors are more or less the same. We all have letters of agreement that match each other and two of us have the same union.

I do not think this should factor into anyone's decision of what major to work for. (Dispatching only)

Also you need very low level google skills to view our full union contract online and I would encourage everyone to go looking for the contract for all jobs before they interview.
 
It's more than a regional. If you're chasing money, you're in the wrong industry.

It's United....they voted in a new contract recently. Why would this be your main concern?


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To make it clear, money shouldn't be ANYONE's main concern if your in ANY career, not just Aircraft Dispatching. I asked a simple question so other people would know, who are not in the Chicago area. Just because the money isn't a main concern, doesn't mean it shouldn't be a priority if your having to move a long distance. It's a simple question guys. No one had asked it, so I did. There's absolutely no need for a smart comment. Thanks.

However, I will make this note. If you absolutely LOVE your job at McDonalds, would you stay there until retirement age knowing you'd only make less than 10 dollars an hour? Let's get real.

I came to this thread thinking there would be helpful people and answers, I guess I was wrong. Have a nice day guys.

And no, this entire post is not directed at PlaneFan.
 
To make it clear, money shouldn't be ANYONE's main concern if your in ANY career, not just Aircraft Dispatching. I asked a simple question so other people would know, who are not in the Chicago area. Just because the money isn't a main concern, doesn't mean it shouldn't be a priority if your having to move a long distance. It's a simple question guys. No one had asked it, so I did. There's absolutely no need for a smart comment. Thanks.

However, I will make this note. If you absolutely LOVE your job at McDonalds, would you stay there until retirement age knowing you'd only make less than 10 dollars an hour? Let's get real.

I came to this thread thinking there would be helpful people and answers, I guess I was wrong. Have a nice day guys.

And no, this entire post is not directed at PlaneFan.

Good it shouldn't be. Over the years I have always been helpful and I enjoy providing as much information as possible to new members.

As far as salary, it's perfectly normal to ask about salary at a regional because they do vary and cost of living vs. the meager wage paid (and potential crappiness of a city) is definitely a consideration:

When it comes to a major, it's pretty silly to ask about salary. Just know you'll make more than you would at a regional, and when you finally get that call, you're silly not to take it.

I agree that money isn't everything and it doesn't buy happiness. It sure does help to avoid having to eat Easy Mac for an eternity.

You won't be able to afford a luxe penthouse apartment downtown without having to sell your body to strangers in your spare time (unless that's you're thing, then more power to ya)! You will be able to afford a nice place to live in the Chicagoland area and not have to live in the slums.


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I love Chicago, wish they'd let me know something. I would actually have a clue as to where to live if I moved there. Same with FLL, but SDF, no idea.
 
All offers are out and have been accepted. I would encourage everyone to apply again at every opening as I know for this class there was an experience cutoff that you may not have made at the time but you may meet next time a class is posted.
 
Also since I am sure people are going to ask. Class is 12 people, 4 internal. All the external new hires are coming from regional airlines.
 
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Actually I think it's significantly more than that, especially if you include potential overtime (which all pilots seem to include when quoting their salary.)

Agreed. The opportunity is there to grab a good chunk of change if you want it, but at a certain point, many people's focus becomes time off rather than time and a half.
 
Agreed. The opportunity is there to grab a good chunk of change if you want it, but at a certain point, many people's focus becomes time off rather than time and a half.

Indeed. I work with people who work no overtime at all more than they have to...there are others who like to work as much as possible. Also, I know at most majors, there is an opportunity for double time when working more than one OT shift in a row - that is, the first one is time and a half and the ones after that (worked consecutively) are double time. So, if you have three or four days off and you work them all as OT - it adds up. I am not saying the OT rules are identical at all majors, and this is also not to say that major dispatchers make more than major captains - but the "1/4 as much" seemed way off to me, since I'm quite sure that a topped-out dispatcher at a major could easily make over $200K per year with OT - and I'm not aware of any airline paying a captain (on any equipment) $800K a year, even if they work a lot of extra trips.
 
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1/4 of what a pilot can make at a major would of been a fine response.

I got a little short with my answer because I spent six months on the road teaching a pilots/dispatcher class and this was always the first question from pilots. (which in my opinion really put a bad mood in the room when we were there to talk about safety, plus why does it matter)

Long story short I got really sick of this question and when I answered truthfully I found out that I made more than most pilots.
 
Indeed. I work with people who work no overtime at all more than they have to...there are others who like to work as much as possible. Also, I know at most majors, there is an opportunity for double time when working more than one OT shift in a row - that is, the first one is time and a half and the ones after that (worked consecutively) are double time. So, if you have three or four days off and you work them all as OT - it adds up. I am not saying the OT rules are identical at all majors, and this is also not to say that major dispatchers make more than major captains - but the "1/4 as much" seemed way off to me, since I'm quite sure that a topped-out dispatcher at a major could easily make over $200K per year with OT - and I'm not aware of any airline paying a captain (on any equipment) $800K a year, even if they work a lot of extra trips.

That's how OT rules work at where I'm at. Whether or not you'll get those two consecutive OT shifts very often is another matter. $200k is attainable, and have heard rumors of more than that if you are a scheduling wiz, especially with the profit sharing being thrown around the last few years.
 
I got a little short with my answer because I spent six months on the road teaching a pilots/dispatcher class and this was always the first question from pilots. (which in my opinion really put a bad mood in the room when we were there to talk about safety, plus why does it matter)

Long story short I got really sick of this question and when I answered truthfully I found out that I made more than most pilots.

Yea whatever man. Go finish your TPS reports.
 
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