[DeTomaso] What I've been doing this week....

[MikeLDrew at aol.com]

In a message dated 8/31/11 8 14 4, lotus0005 at hotmail.com writes:


> 
> Do pilots still have to retire at (some really young age?)?  If so, do you 
> still get to ride for free after?
> 

We used to have to retire at 60 (which is old).   Now we are allowed to 
retire at 65 (which is really old), but I plan to hang it up at 60 since I will 
get full benefits then.   So many people fail to realize that by retiring 
five years later, they are effectively giving their employer five years of 
the retirement they are entitled to.   After all, just because you retire five 
years later, that doesn't mean you'll live five years longer, right?

For now, I can travel anywhere in the world, on any US carrier (whether I 
work for them or not), for free (have to pay the taxes when returning to the 
US from another country) but curiously, I have to pay a travel fee when 
travelling internationally, or domestically in first class, only on American 
Airlines, my employer.   After I retire, I will only have benefits with my own 
company and will have to pay the same fees I do currently.   I won't be able 
to jumpseat on Southwest, United etc., although I suspect there may be 
provisions for buying deep-discount standby tickets (i.e. 90% off full fare 
price).

I just checked--Monday's flight from London to LAX in first class, and then 
LAX to San Francisco in coach, cost me $379 (times two).

So it's a pretty darn good deal, and goes at least some ways towards making 
up for the 25%-50%   pay cut that we all took after 9/11.   Of course, the 
more you use the benefit, the more beneficial it is!

Mike (planning on flying to Ottawa tonight--but the flights are packed so 
it may mean camping out in the airport for hours and hours, trying to get on 
the next flight, or the next one...)