Earnings of employees in certificated air carriers

A 1984 US Bureau of Labor Statistics survey of certificated air carriers shows substantial differences in the earnings of both airline captains and their flight crews. The relatively wide range within pilot categories reflects factors that include: 1. basic salary, 2. credited flight hours, 3. hourly pay, 4. mileage, and 5. gross aircraft weight. Recent collective bargaining agreements also may have contributed to pay variations. Labor-management agreements cover: 1. more than 9/10 of pilots and flight engineers, 2. about 4/5 of flight attendants, maintenance, and related workers, and 3. one-third of customer service and clerical employees. The survey indicates that employees of carriers with more than $1 billion in annual revenues usually average higher earnings than employees of smaller airlines, but most carriers provide paid vacations and other fringe benefits for all the employee groups.