What does a Qantas pilot earn?

[Paul Waters]

So what do you think Qantas pilots really earn?

To keep it simple, let's go for a Boeing 767 Captain.

Interested to here....

[Todd Hendry]

Are we talking average wage or max or starting? What rank? What aircraft type.
Todd

[Todd Hendry]

Sorry Paul. You beat me to it.

[Todd Hendry]

Paul. Any chance of making the 200-400k 200-300k and 300-400k?
The reality is closer to 200 than 400k.

[Paul Waters]

Sorry Todd, can't seem to edit the poll.

Main reason for posting this is to see what most on this board think they earn and whether recent media reports have influenced that. Some seem to think they earn too much and that they are asking for the 26% payrise that Alan Joyce is quoting (definitely not true).

Paul

[Andrew P]

is the 200k a total package, ie includes super, FBT costs, E10 travel benefit, life insurance etc etc

[Matt_L]

Whats the reason for this poll? im very confused.

this information is fairly public if you really wanted to get it:confused:

[Peter Agatsiotis]

In the April 2011 edition of Australian Aviation, Geoffrey Thomas produced a very interesting look at Qantas. Salaries were only mentioned once with this comment:
'For the pilots, some who earn close to $500,000, a different equation applies (referring to engineer's situation),and that is that they are in serious danger of pricing themselves out of a job. The airline industry as it is today cannot sustain those salary levels'

It would have to be a very senior captain (probably chief A380 captain I would imagine) with plenty of hours/service behind him/her to attain that salary level.

Many years ago I did make a brief aquaintance with a 737 Captain who I met through one of my previous internet websites who invited me to have a look over the 737-400 cockpit on his next visit to SYD.

He showed me his roster and told me that at the time the pilots were paid on actual hours flown plus 'duty time' (I presume prior to the 1989 pilot's strike, all flightcrew were on a salary depending on years of service, type of a/c flown etc.) He also mentioned that they could 'bid' on certain flights as long as they didn't exceed the maximum hours allowed per month.

This may have changed by now but don't know how salaries are calculated or negotiated these days.

[Paul f.]

Too much;)

[Owen H]

The poll is interesting because it might say what people think Qantas Captain's earn, rather than be what they actually earn.

As others have said though, the most important category (just over 200k) is far to large to be of any use.

[Radi K]

virgin b737 captains are on $175k as a guide

[Paul Waters]

The poll is interesting because it might say what people think Qantas Captain's earn, rather than be what they actually earn.

That's exactly what the intention was, to see what people THINK they earn. Too many people are of the opinion it's much higher than it really is.

I tried to edit the poll to narrow that $200k band down, but unfortunately couldn't, :confused:. Should have checked that before I posted! I posted the bands for one position and then quoted another, :rolleyes:.

Cheers

Paul

[Stephen B]

As long as the pilot is qualified/competent, has stuff all faith in computers, is able to think for themseleves, work as part of a team, and gets me and mine to our destination safely and "on time", WHO CARES WHAT THEY EARN!!!!!

Quite frankly it is none of our business. In just about ever single wage agreement I know of in both private and public service, discussion of individual incomes is forbidden.

I'm not saying to leave these poor malinged glorified bus drivers totally alone, just that their personal incomes are not what should be discussed by anyone.

[Mick F]

Woah, settle down, :rolleyes:.

I think what Paul was trying to do, was see what people really did think they earnt, to quell some arguement that they earn too much!

In my opinion (as a pilot myself), given the responsibility, the level of constant checking, the possibility that in 12 months time when your medical comes around, that you might not be able to fly again and the overall experience of someone in this role, they definitely DON'T earn too much.

Therefore, all this "they need to face reality" talk with regards to Qantas' employee's, is a load of rubbish.

Mick

[Russell D]

Stephen B wrote:
As long as the pilot is qualified/competent, has stuff all faith in computers, is able to think for themseleves, work as part of a team, and gets me and mine to our destination safely and "on time", WHO CARES WHAT THEY EARN!!!!!

I understand where you're coming from, but the pilots definitely care (and anyone involved in the industry does).

Doctors care about what they earn, but the public don't, as long as they "do their job" and "provide an adequate level of service". Same with lawyers and any other profession.

I mean, I'm sure you care very much about how much you earn, but nobody else does. Same as noone would care how much I earnt.

You are right in saying individual incomes should not be discussed in the open, but the purpose of the poll is to get an idea of what "non-aviators" think pilots get paid. To test the hypothesis that the views of the flying public are detached from the reality. Not whether pilots themselves think they earn to little or too much.

Reality is, the public don't check the wage rates for pilots, even though this is often freely available with a quick google search. So without having consulted that information, they are oblivious to the facts.

Same as how the public believes doctors are paid waaayy to much, without realising how much training, stress, responsibility, experience etc. goes into the job. Which is very much what Mick F was pointing out, only from a pilot's perspective.

Cheers

[Matt_L]

WHO CARES WHAT THEY EARN!!!!!
I'm not saying to leave these poor malinged glorified bus drivers totally alone,

And that is the very reason Jetstar exists and can pay their pilots peanuts. No one seems to care besides fellow pilots and the unions.

I also find the glorified bus driver a pretty offensive connotation. I'm sure fellow pilots would too.

Richard De Crespigny, Captain of QF32, the 380 out of Singapore made a speech in Melbourne two weeks ago at Monash University. It went something like this- a pilots job is routine 95% of the time, its that 5% uncertainty factor when something goes wrong that they are paid and earn their full wage. You name me more than a few other jobs that can unexpectedly present to you a challenge that could potentially result in 100's of fatalities. Not Many- and pay should be allocated accordingly.

[Jason H]

This is what a ninemsn article states what some Qantas pilots earn.

[Qantas] says its long-haul pilots are among the best paid in the business, with an average Boeing 747 captain earning $350,000 a year while its best paid Airbus A380 captain was on $500,000 a year.