Airdale
Well-Known Member
While waiting to catch a flight home last week, I was talking with an American Airlines FO on the A300. I was in uniform and we got to chatting in the terminal and he specifically asked me - What is the reason to make a career in this industry anymore?
Before I could answer he explained in very thorough heated detail about how the industry was and how it is now. He mentioned that when American pilots had their contracts thrown out and their pay slashed, that he was forced to sell a house he owned in NJ and downsize, while his management was taking million dollar bonuses. He was VERY disgruntled and down right pissed off at American Airlines, and to be honest I listened to his story and I felt bad for him. He couldn't believe the fact that I make $20k a year and he mentioned how this industry is self destructing with pilots at the lower end willing to work for $18k a year.
After our conversation I was really thinking about what he said and I asked myself - what is at the end of the tunnel to keep driving for? Is it flying a wide bodied aircraft, like the A300 with 267 pax for less then $90k a year? Less then $100k a year? And for how long would that pay stick around? What about retirement? After I give my service to a company for 20 yrs, will I have to worry about when I retire? What happens if management slices pay again?
He told me that next year is going to be a blood bath in the airlines when many contracts come up for negotiation.
What will it take to bring back the glory of this job? What do we have to do to get proper compensation for the responsibility that we undertake?
I didn't realize how bad things were getting until talking first hand with those guys flying the big boys.
One things for sure though, we all need to stand together if things are going to change. I may be very new to the Airline industry, but I believe that its never to early to stand behind the Major Airline pilots to help fight for our future.
Before I could answer he explained in very thorough heated detail about how the industry was and how it is now. He mentioned that when American pilots had their contracts thrown out and their pay slashed, that he was forced to sell a house he owned in NJ and downsize, while his management was taking million dollar bonuses. He was VERY disgruntled and down right pissed off at American Airlines, and to be honest I listened to his story and I felt bad for him. He couldn't believe the fact that I make $20k a year and he mentioned how this industry is self destructing with pilots at the lower end willing to work for $18k a year.
After our conversation I was really thinking about what he said and I asked myself - what is at the end of the tunnel to keep driving for? Is it flying a wide bodied aircraft, like the A300 with 267 pax for less then $90k a year? Less then $100k a year? And for how long would that pay stick around? What about retirement? After I give my service to a company for 20 yrs, will I have to worry about when I retire? What happens if management slices pay again?
He told me that next year is going to be a blood bath in the airlines when many contracts come up for negotiation.
What will it take to bring back the glory of this job? What do we have to do to get proper compensation for the responsibility that we undertake?
I didn't realize how bad things were getting until talking first hand with those guys flying the big boys.
One things for sure though, we all need to stand together if things are going to change. I may be very new to the Airline industry, but I believe that its never to early to stand behind the Major Airline pilots to help fight for our future.
