There are some great points made in your article. However, this is just scratching the surface of the mess in labor relations at the airlines. As a professional airline pilot for nearly 12 years now I can tell you the most money I have ever made was 69,000 and that was only for one year. The deck is absolutely stacked against pilots. Companies hold all the cards and your pay check! The “Railway Labor Act” which governs the rules of how pay and benefits are bargained for and administered are completely inadequate and antiquated as they were designed for railways over 60 years ago!!!! In my professional opinion, unless US airlines stop penalizing pilots for their experience (i.e. not transferring seniority when moving carriers and or starting new “alter ego” carriers in order to begin new and inexperienced work groups, because their cheaper) there is bound to be an increase in accidents and loss of life. In 2013 you will see the major cycle of retirements (from baby boomer era) pilots at major airlines.

When this happens experienced regional Captains like myself will go through the hardship of applying for a new job, relocating their family and home to start at the bottom of a seniority list for half of our current wage. That will leave only a few experienced First Officers to fill our seats at the regionals. Then the hiring of brand new 250 hour pilots will once again occur. Those pilots will advance quickly through the ranks as experienced pilots go to majors. Within a year many will be captains on regional jet aircraft.

I surmise it will take a much greater loss of human lives before people are willing to pay more for an airline ticket in order to maintain a well qualified crew in the cockpit. I can only pray I am wrong.

Cpt. Kevin J. Cameron.