I have a couple of good friends who've been at AC a long time. Good guys, have a good job and career. But I have to say that most of the AC guys I've ever met are pretty clueless about the world outside of their little bubble. I remember sitting next to an AC B777 FO in Y on an AC flight heading to Canada one year. 50's (maybe 40's and looked older?) so 15 or 20 years older than myself I'd guess. He was deadheading and spent most of the flight bitching about how he had been "screwed" out of his seat in J for the flight (was Christmas and flight was packed). How hard his life was, having to commute from his home in YLW to his sailboat moored in YVR while on reserve, doing his 3 flights a month or whatever.
When the conversation finally turned to a topic other than himself, he asked what I did and I mentioned I also flew the B777, for Emirates at the time. And his question was "Emirates? Where do they fly?". I just looked at him, dumbfounded. I was amused, and amazed. Really?
Just no clue about the world outside his own. And I knew I never, ever wanted to be that guy. I sometimes wonder if he's still an FO, still complaining about his hard life, putting in time until his seniority gave him whatever it was he felt was making him so unhappy.
Seniority is an attempt to impose fairness on the system, I get it. A necessary evil, perhaps. But it sure kills a lot of people's souls. So much for merit or motivation or morale. Union job, union mentality. I'll trade "security" for something that doesn't lobotomize me, every time.
But that's just me.
I’m still waiting for my white male privilege membership card. Must have gotten lost in the mail.