Becoming an airline pilot.

Becoming an airline pilot?

• I am seriously looking into becoming a commercial pilot, and I am interested in studying aviation/commerce double degree at Swinburne University next year. However I have concerns that if I become a pilot I won't be able to have a family life. Is it possible for me to become a domestic pilot if these means I will be home more often. Could a female pilot please give me some insight on how difficult it is to have a family and be a pilot? Thankyou

• Answer:

  It depends who you work for. The pilots for the airline that I work for are home every night. However, they are not making the same wages as those pilots who are flying jets. I know JetBlue for example has a lot of routes that you can bid for that are just "day trips" too. However, you are not guaranteed to get those routes because someone who has more senority within the company might be granted them before you. As a pilot who has a really junior senority date, you absolutely will be working holidays such as Christmas, Thanksgiving, and any other holiday that no one wants to work so the new guys are stuck with it. You should read up on senority within the airline business if you are not already aware. Senority is your life in the airlines.