Warning to U.S. Airways passengers: The price of a seat might be taking off.
It’ll have to if the company wants to keep their hero pilot, Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger.
No kidding. U.S. Airways better dig deep if it wants to compete with the new offers that have been flying Sullenberger’s way.
The latest job offer comes courtesy of bazillionaire Richard Branson, who wants the “Miracle on the Hudson” pilot to fly for his company—-Virgin Air.
Branson said was in “utter shock” upon hearing the news that Sullenberger saved 155 lives when he successfully splash-landed a U.S. Airways jet in the Hudson River last month.
I’d like him to come fly for us,” Branson told news reporters. “We’ll make him the best-paid pilot at Virgin — we’ll give him double [the salary of] anybody else. He also can become one of the astronauts in my intergalactic spaceship company. The man can write his own ticket with me.”
Sullenberger’s current U.S. Airways salary hasn’t been made public, but AirlinePilotCentral.com estimates that the 58-year-old Air Force veteran, who’s been flying for more than two decades, makes around $138,000 per year. The hero pilot also owns a two-year-old aviation consulting firm, so his yearly income likely tops $250,000.
That makes little difference to Branson, who would (and could) easily shell out four times that amount to get Sullenberger to join team Virgin.
Asked whether he would consider jumping ship to work for Branson, Sullenberger told reporters that he is “entertaining all the things that are coming my way.”
Given the current climate of the commercial aviation industry, I highly doubt there is another company that could pay Sullenberger more than what Branson is willing to dole out.
Then again, after seeing Sullenberger’s interview with Katie Couric I wouldn’t be surprised if the poised captain stays grounded for a while. Rumor has it that Sullenberger is also fielding a number of book deals and a Hollywood production company wants to make a TV movie based on his ordeal.
The guy’s been called the new patron saint of airline passengers; he might as well strike while the iron’s hot, right?