Garner Miller wrote:

James Robinson wrote:

"A 10-year captain of Boeing 737-200s makes $157,152 at Delta, and
$178,152 at United. The most senior captain, with 30 years of
experience, flying a Boeing 777 wide-body, makes $248,040 at
Delta, and $254,748 at United."

You proved my point. Of all the captains at Delta, for example, how
many have been there 30 years? And how many are on the 777? Far, far
fewer than the entire pilot pool, I assure you.

Certainly true, but you also suggested that a six-figure salary was
something to be dreaming of, yet a 10-year captain at the majors flying
a narrow-body at $150,000 to $175,000 is well into six figures. There
would be lots of them around. Considering that only something like the
top 13% of all households, (which can include two wage earners) have
incomes over $100k a year, that's not too shabby. Only 4% have incomes
over $150k.

There is also the amount of time actually spent flying. While Southwest
pays their pilots something north of $150k a year, plus stock options,
they also get about 50% more flight time out of them than the majors:

"Southwest gets about 75 hours' stick time a month from its pilots,
whereas most major carriers get only 48 to 52 hours," says Neidl. "It
makes a huge difference."

http://www.boardmember.com/issues/ar...ticle_id=11261

The high wages, restrictive work rules, and generous benefit plans
offered by the major airlines just can't compete with the streamlined
operations of the lower cost carriers.

Further, the suggestion that the wages compensate for being away from
home more than 400 hours a month doesn't explain the wages of truckers
or railroad employees, who are often away far more than that, yet only
make perhaps a third of what a pilot makes.

I'm not begrudging the fact that airline pilots make good money, as I'd
certainly like to be in their shoes. I'm simply stating that things are
really pretty good overall, but that economic reality has come home to
roost for the pilots on the major carriers.