This to me is one of the most ridiculous arguments I've ever seem, and it comes up often, not just with AC and pilots but in almost every situation where people think it makes sense to compare the total compensation of a CEO to the entry level worker in the same organization. If you want to be paid like a CEO, be a CEO. If you want/choose to be a pilot, a FA, a cashier, or a burger flipper at McDonald's you will and should be paid accordingly, and the fact the CEO makes XXX more is not really relevant IMHO.

Also, while the whole 'they are highly skilled and have the lives of hundreds of people in their hands' may be interesting, well how is that different than a TTC Subway Driver or a GO Train Operator who may have 1000 people on their train and therefore at risk if they don't perform their job? Should they therefore make 2x a 777 Captain because there are 2x the number of lives at stake? Well probably not, but I bet there are some out there that would make the argument.

Oh, and one more thing...the pilots have a lot more job security than the CEO and work probably 1/4 of the hours in a job where you come do it, leave it at the jetway, go home, come back, do it again, rinse/repeat with no responsibility or expectation upon you beyond that.