To tweet BA pilots that I earn less than the INCREASE they're demanding?

[CheapSeats]

I earn 18000 a year. BA pilots are asking for an increase of 20000 a year. Yeah I know about skills and responsibility blah blah blah but AIBU to be upset that my holiday might be ruined? They're bleating in the papers today that they're upset that they now only get to stay in 4 star hotels instead of 5.

I'm due to fly with BA in a few weeks and I'm concerned about possible disruption BUT I support the pilots!
They are still negotiation so there is still time to avoid strike action.

GabsAlot- he didn’t call you back after you shagged him, did he?

I know a BA pilot, ex RAF, highly skilled they only do long haul, so the stop overs are necessary, it is hard on the family wife and kids miss daddy for many days in the year. I do not mind that they stay in good hotels.

Yes they are well paid the one I know has bought properties in the caribbean which family and friends can rent. That is his pension if you like.

BA do hire the best pilots. Which I think some people may not know.

A sons friend his dad paid for him to become a pilot. His first job was with Ryan Air, which aint great, but he is moving up the ladder

BA makes profits and where do those profits go well based on this

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5452505/Bumper-pay-rises-British-Airways-bosses.html

to the people in charge at the top. Who cuts services and refuse to give payrises. Who actually have forced this all the way through to the Court of Appeal (spending how much in the process) rather than actually deal with and negotiate with the people who ensure the flights get there safely.

Its awful that holidays are being cancelled for this - but its not the fault of the pilots striking its the fault of the executives in charge who tried to stop them striking and never believed they would because they want to maximise their profits and the returns that they make

Of course you’re being unreasonable. You being in low paid work has no relevance whatsoever.

I don’t know what you do for 18000 pa op, but if u wanted a pay rise of 3k and we’re going to strike if not, how would u feel if ppl on the dole started saying what you’re saying now? It’s not the pilots fault you earn so little, like it’s not your fault ppl are on the dole

I want pilots well paid so it attracts competent and highly qualified people..

Hear, hear !!!!

Same as MPs.

I dont belive in strikse i never will condone them its pathetic

You don’t believe you have a right to withdraw your labour without being fired? No matter what your employer does?

Good luck.

This is what they want

Pilots seek an above-inflation pay settlement that would also include a profit-share scheme, reflecting their argument that they took pay cuts when BA was struggling as a result of the financial crisis and that they should share in the benefit now the business has recovered

They have to pay about 40 grand to train themselves up I think.

I dont belive in strikse i never will condone them

Fine. Do you work? If so you should totally work 24/7 and never take a day off (paid) sick, bank holidays are not for you, safety procedures should be ignored… it's not always down to the actual strikes but it is down to organised workers (unions) in the past that we enjoy such things.

It totally sucks if you get caught up in the strikes, on the other hand BA earn a shit ton on the backs of the pilots that they don't even train themselves.

I give up-yes they do training yes it can go wrong but it doesnt its not a hollywood film i dont feel symapthy for them

You really believe that nothing ever goes wrong with planes in flight, @gabsalot? Have you been going around with your eyes and ears closed? Just try googling "plane crash" for starters.

Hahaha.

I’m an anaesthetist. I’m highly paid (though debatable by some), only look after one patient at a time, and my life isn’t at risk if an anaesthetic goes wrong.

When the operation goes smoothly, you might wonder what exactly I do to earn my £££. But trust me, you’re not paying me for what I do day to day. You’re paying me for what I CAN do in an emergency.

Ditto pilots.

Worth every penny when they can do this:

www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=epKrA8KjYvg

They have to pay about 40 grand to train themselves up I think.

Try multiplying that by 3.

Doesn't it cost over £100k to train as a pilot. Training that they pay for out of their own pocket. Taking into account they are also likely to be degree educated they therefore have student loans to repay.

So. All that debt. Plus a highly skilled and highly stressful job. Plus unsociable hours, being away from home, most of the time living in a hotel room.

I used to work in the aviation sector, albeit the maintenance side of things. I was living out of a suitcase for 3 years. The one thing that made it bearable was staying in nice hotels. I can't imagine me working a 16 hour day and then having a shitty 3 star hotel to go back to unwind in, before my next 16 hour shift. So the 5 star hotel was very much appreciated. I can sympathise with them.

I do understand how shitty it is though to have saved all year and then have your escape from the drudgery of daily life threatened by circumstances out of your control. So to be upset about the strike YANBU. But to moan about why they are striking YABU.

I'm saying this as someone who is going to Spain in 2 weeks (in a 3 star hotel no less ) and is eagerly following the strike updates.

My cousin is a ba captain. Worth every penny. Responsibilities they have are huge

OP Being a pilot isn’t the healthiest job. Think about how groggy you feel after a long flight. Imagine that day in day out, all the money in the world wouldn’t make me want to be a pilot.

YABU nobody strikes on a whim

For the BA pilots to agree to strike there has to be majority support within the union or it'd be illegal and they'd be fired.

This means they do as a collective consider their skillset, years of training and high levels of responsibility worth more money because...

1. The best money attracts the better candidates
2. No one wants to read several stories a week about people dying because the pilot couldn't handle a lost engine, or land in high wind, or land safely with instrument failure, or not know whether it's safer to try and land on a river or to make it to the nearest airport or many more scenarios that I can't even imagine because I'm not a pilot

The BA strike isn't about whether your pay is fair. It's about theirs. And frankly if you can afford to holiday via BA then you aren't badly off as a family in the first place. Should people take umbrage with you and start threads about how greedy and entitled you are for taking a foreign holiday when others can't?

The mindset of 'don't give X a pay rise because my profession isn't getting a pay rise' has always baffled me beyond extent.

How about 'lets support X in their claim for a pay rise and afterwards they can support us when our unions make a move for ours'

Are we beyond supporting each other anymore?

To add he did 4 years training earning a smaller sum. You cannot make a case if you earn less as the difference in roles are massive

Would you take a job which meant you spent long periods of time away from your family?

Think of the childcare costs too...

Also lots about how flying can shorten your life because of exposure to sun rays that you don't get at ground level. And stuff to do with the quality of air on planes. And how being jet lagged can affect your health.

What you earn is irrelevant.

And as for the "I don't believe in strikes" line..

No @HulksPurplePanties because planes just dont crash very often.

I know a ba pilot they get too much as it is-forget the life in your hands comment they literally sit there for hours and then land the plane-bus drivers have to negotitate more than they do-theyre rich and greedy

Yes, that’s what you actually want. For them to sit there the entire flight basically twiddling their thumbs. That’s the ideal. However if the shit hits the fan (which you don’t want, doesn’t happen often but does happen), then you need someone skilled enough to be able to step up and control the situation. That’s what you are paying for - someone who will never have to put their skills into practice.

I used to work with a person who’s spouse was an experienced commercial pilot. Apparently they had testing frequently in a simulator where they had to be able to control the plane in emergency situations. Chances are they would never have to employ those skills in their career (and can sit twiddling their thumbs the entire flight) BUT they need to have these skills. That’s what they are being paid for.