Anything Positive about a low cost?

[Veereference]

Alright folks. This may be an unpopular opinion but I feel as though I should share it.

Full disclosure: I am one of these 1000 hour instructors everyone is pointing blame at. I am number 4 from flying the twin at my school and am earning about $1500.00 a month (a little less net) my pay will go up a touch when I am flying the twin.

People are knocking the salary structure to "start" at 38K but you know what it is not too bad at all. Many people survive out there making less than that and do so reasonably comfortably. If your wife/husband earns the same (or more) you are actually about an average Canadian Income. It's not that bad. Most Canadians can do it, why can't we?

Consider this, I work more as an instructor than many airline pilots but I get paid less. So why are people knocking people who would jump at this pay? It would not only be a substantial pay raise (~100%) but further more I would get to enjoy my work much more! I recently became a Canadian Citizen and one of the reasons I came over here is for opportunity. This to me is opportunity, it's a chance to fly something more impressive than a Cessna and to fly to international destinations all the while taking a pay increase. I have tried to secure a EU citizenship to get flying at a earlier time (all it takes is a license and type rating) but due to paper work issues Canada is my best option.

For those that will knock me ask your selves if you would have done the same gone from instructing to a position like that, or even better been able to avoid the whole situation that is going up north and working like vermin to gain experience. I've been lucky enough to stay in Toronto this entire time and may never have to leave (maybe move to Vancouver, but I can live with the rain (I think)).

I for one plan to apply at this new LCC and partake in the opportunity that presents it self.

[FICU]

What you are forgetting is that $38K is to start when most AC new hires would have thousands of hours of operational experience and will be leaving a job where they are senior and most likely making twice that amount.

You could apply for the new LCC but you will probably have to have a passport from an Asian country.

[Mig29]

I am not going to even bother reading all of the posts on this threads, because I just can't even comprehend how twisted our way of thinking has become in the last decade or so.

To even think that 38K salary is "ok" in todays day and age, where everything has gone up in price and where a pathetic "show box" condo in GTA or YVR area will cost you upward of 300K, is just mind blowing to me!

I am not even pointing fingers here at anyone, it is just sad to read comments from our future airline pilots, who don't realize what they are saying. Yes, 38K is better then where most new hires came from, and yes the working conditions are probably better then their previous job (not always), but that's not the reason to knock your self-estime down and justify to your self that it's "not that bad"!

Your future airline job will require a lot of sacrifce on your personal, family and financial life and it's just not right to think that after a decade of beating around lousy jobs your airline entry level job should be below $40k/year!!

Don't sell your selves out people! We all had to do things that we may not be proud of in our past jobs (some more, some less) but your gotta know when to stop and start respecting your self for what you are worth....

[becks]

I worked as an instructor too Veereference,
I was also a Turbine Capt, Sim Instructor, and Chief Pilot.

But until the airline lowers their minimums, you won't even be getting a look with that time.
Good luck at WJ, or Jazz as well. Your in a good spot tho to snag a good Turbine right seat job.

Like I said before, you are going to get older. Money didn't matter to me when I was 25. All I wanted to do was fly! But now that I'm 35, things like paying off my mortgage, putting as much toward retirement and still having enough for my son to play hockey became more important.

Like Mig 29 said don't sell yourself out! It's a great job! But if you're willing to do it cheaper, well...that will be the story for the rest of your career.

Cheers

[SeaBat]

That's why most of us working here laugh at those disgruntled pax that go on CBC and state, "I will never fly with this airline again." We (and the execs) know that if you drop the price of a seat by 50 cents and offer another bag of stale pretzels, that same person will be back next year.

[lot lizard]

Veereference,

Just a couple of pointers for when you do an interview:

Do not tell them that you would have preferred to work in Europe and that Canada was your best "option".

Do not tell them that you wanted to instruct only to "avoid the whole situation that is going up north and working like vermin to gain experience".

The person interviewing you might take offense as they might have went up north, worked like vermin and maybe even enjoyed it. The interviewer might also think that you are calling people who choose to work up north "vermin", which would also be a bit offensive. The interviewer may also have been an instructor because they enjoyed teaching not because they wanted to stay working out of a big urban center.

Good luck with your career!

[HighT5]

People are knocking the salary structure to "start" at 38K but you know what it is not too bad at all.

You don't think you're worth more than 38K as an airline pilot? Sad. I know people in office admin jobs that started at 45K.

Just because you're making less than that now is no excuse for that dismal airline wage. As long as guys line up to take these wages things will never change.

[TheStig]

milehigh,

So are you arguing that immigrants shouldn't come to Canada, learn to fly, build some hours and leave, OR learn to fly build some time and end up staying…maybe anyone not born in Canada shouldn't be able to pilot an aircraft period? Just an observation, but outside of North America you don't see pilots living below the poverty line due to a willingness to work for less money than a taxi driver earns. Maybe we're the problem?

[Veereference]

Ok so I may have pulled some legs. The reality is this is a story someone told me. They took a pay package at my airline lower than I did when I became an FO just because that is what was offered. We need to protect our own jobs. It's not right to earn 50% less than what a city bus driver would earn.

Let us ban together ladies and gentlemen, this is not appropriate.

[Mig29]

Vref...

I will admit that over the time I've seen many guys trying to "stir the pot" or just simply have little fun here on Avcanada! ....And as I was replying to your initial post there was a second or two that went through my mind telling me that you just may be that guy again! I got hooked, I admit it

ps. Then again... maybe you are just back peddling now trying to save your face and pride...or maybe not??

But who will ever know the real truth?????

[retired or retarded]

I am absolutely not in favor of the 38k starting salaries at AC because I know how hard it is to live on it!! The only problem I do have is how there are so many senior pilots that are so appalled now that they are trying to protect the higher jobs from the low cost carrier when the response I have always seen and even heard first hand in the past is " We have all been through it in the past, why can't you. You guys are way to self entitled.". Don't forget that those salaries we negotiated in the past by our very own union. Welcome to the race to the bottom. That being said I will also qualify that that is also not the opinion of every senior pilot and many voiced their support. It was not enough however to have changed the situation. We have a legacy carrier that starts their pilots at about 60% of what most other cheaper carriers were paying their starting pilots and that has always been ok in past negots. Welcome to the race.

[AirMail]

....with the mentality of some useless wits thinking it's golden to fly for cheap.... then stay at your current instructing job and ask to take a pay cut, hell do it for free! I mean you're living in your parents basement rent free, food is provided. Bringing back a date to your basement palace is ok, because you're a pilot. Do the the rest of us hard working pilots a favor who are trying to improve the living conditions for all pilots, and rip up your license and go dig ditches or work at mcdicks, because that's where you belong!