Flying Career: Overrated?

Last week, carreercast.com named the 12 most overrated jobs of 2011. Both flight attendant and pilot made the list. To most people, the thought of a flying career conjures up images of a dapper Leonardo striding the concourse in a crisp uniform, flanked by a throng of young, pretty, and immaculately groomed stewardesses. This glamorous stereotype is perpetuated by the new TV series "Pan Am."

The more likely scenario is a rumpled first officer who slept in the crew room because her shift started early and she had to commute from home in Boise/San Diego/Denver the night before accompanied by a 50-year-old flight attendant who sold her insurance agency to pursue her lifelong dream of flying and doesn't care that she only makes $12,000 a year because she has flight benefits for herself and her husband.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KosfmCMIGhA&feature=related

There are great things about an airline career. I generally have 3-day weekends. The hours are somewhat flexible. With creative bidding, I can sometimes have a 5-10 day stretch of days off without burning precious vacation time. Frankly, I can't imagine going back to an 8-5 routine five days a week. Not to mentions the views from the "office!"

So why does CareerCast think flying is overrated? Perhaps because flight crews are away from home for days on end. And unlike the crews in "Pan Am," we aren't dancing in Paris night clubs on generous layovers. Maybe it's because we work odd hours, sometimes finishing a shift after midnight and beginning another at 3 a.m. in the same week. It could have something to do with the stress induced by weather, company policies, passenger issues, fatigue, etc. Work-life balance and compromised health are two of the issues the Huffington Post pointed out in its version of the story. It's difficult to maintain friendships and regular social outings when you travel four days a week. Irregular sleep patterns, questionable nutrition, and poor ergonomics of flight deck seating cause frequent visits to the doc.

And the $106,000 average salary for airline pilots is a bit misleading. A captain at a major airline may earn well above this figure, but a first officer at a regional earns far less, often starting at $15k or less and topping out around $40k. Moving up is largely a function of seniority and movement comes to a grinding halt right along with with the economy.

Perhaps they think an airline career is overrated since moving from job to job comes with a price--typically large pay cuts and time at the bottom of the seniority list--whereas other professionals can leverage their experience to land better paying jobs at another company.

Don't get me wrong. I love my job and the benefits it affords. I just wouldn't encourage you to quit YOUR job to pursue the "glamour" of flying.