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Fliers caught in crossfire between American Airlines, pilots
American Airlines, stung by deteriorating flight operations, said over the weekend that it wanted to resume talks with its pilots union. The carrier has blamed pilots for a recent spate of delays and cancellations that began shortly after a bankruptcy judge let American void its pilots contract and impose new terms. (travel.usatoday.com) Más...Sort type: [Top] [Newest]
Nice to Know, i have to fly american from Japan to the states in a few days
All airlines have a labor dispute. However, both American's management and unions fail to recognize their customers are the "good guys" during their disputes and have lost business over the years including business from my company. Who wants to fly on a dirty old MD-83 that's running late with rude flight attendants? American Eagle is terrible as well.
If my business does not make the best product with the best customer service we go out of business. The time has come to put American in the archives with TWA, Eastern, and Pan Am. Let Virgin America and Jet Blue take their place.
If my business does not make the best product with the best customer service we go out of business. The time has come to put American in the archives with TWA, Eastern, and Pan Am. Let Virgin America and Jet Blue take their place.
My AA flight yesterday (which was late) seemed that the flight attendants were trying to blame it on the pilots. The FA's were trying to be as nice as could be, and actually mentioned on the PA they didn't want to be blamed for the plane being late. But sitting on a hot MD-80 at DFW was awful.
Ohhh, Ohhh, and lemmie tell ya what happens next. The ramp / gate / counter agents all get even more pay cuts to nearly minimum wage and the flight crews and management fight over who gets the spoils of war.. Too bad they weren't smart enough to make an industry wide union spanning nearly all the airlines, huh? On the bright side, I'm sure all the bare bones, knuckle dragging, "hire anyone with a pulse" services are drooling over who gets the new ground contracts. Guess SWA is the last hope for anyone not in management or a flight crew.
Seems like I read sometime back that all the rest had already settled, that it was just the pilots holding out. Oh Well, it will all be interesting.
How about THIS to be outraged about? I am currently drawing retirement checks from PBGC, a government agency, that is partially covering the pension obligations of two "Bankrupt" Airlines. The first- Pan Am- became a legitimate bankruptcy. The second was, IMHO, a blatant ruse by Management to transfer their pension obligations to the Taxpayer. In the process, my "ESOP" Fund, which was almost $250,000 in Stock in lieu of pay, became virtually worthless. You will have to search long and hard to find very many Professional Pilots who have the slightest respect for the integrity of Airline Management.
Even more problematic is the future of the Piloting Profession and, therefore, the Airlines themselves. Sure, today they have a Captive Audience. As someone said, any job is better than no job- but look at today's young person considering a Career in Aviation. Is a senior O-3 or junior O-4 Military Aviator going to leave the Service for what the Airlines are becoming? Is the Civilian going to sweat through the Ratings, Flight Instructing, Air Taxi, Regionals on Food Stamps without the possibility of that top of the Food Chain 747/777 Job? With High School Grads making $50,000 p.a. in the Left Seat, they had better start working on an airplane that can not only, as the ignorant believe, "fly itself"- they'd better build one that can think for itself, too.
Even more problematic is the future of the Piloting Profession and, therefore, the Airlines themselves. Sure, today they have a Captive Audience. As someone said, any job is better than no job- but look at today's young person considering a Career in Aviation. Is a senior O-3 or junior O-4 Military Aviator going to leave the Service for what the Airlines are becoming? Is the Civilian going to sweat through the Ratings, Flight Instructing, Air Taxi, Regionals on Food Stamps without the possibility of that top of the Food Chain 747/777 Job? With High School Grads making $50,000 p.a. in the Left Seat, they had better start working on an airplane that can not only, as the ignorant believe, "fly itself"- they'd better build one that can think for itself, too.