Let's hear your best "I Quit" story....

[Coool Hand Luke]

...I heard today (reliable source) that a pilot quit down in Cabo in Mexico and left the pax stranded.

 

[JediNein]

Answered a question by a visting company VIP and ended up in a empty conference room answering the rest of his questions. Told VIP exactly what was wrong with the way the corporate IT department was running things. Didn't know he was THE company VP and heads were rolling all around me, he'd already fired four of the ten member team and was making cuts at the national level, too. Told 'im "I am so frustrated that I am ready to quit, check that, I quit." Handed him my ID badge and left.

They sent me a letter the next week thanking me for my dedicated service.

 

[G100driver]

...I heard today (reliable source) that a pilot quit down in Cabo in Mexico and left the pax stranded.

That sounds like a good story. Care to share the rumor?

 

[Coool Hand Luke]

Sure. I was standing next to my friend when he receives a call. The guy wanted to know if he wanted to fly a two-day trip on Monday-Tuesday. My friends asks what time the trip leaves on Monday and the guy tells him that he will have to airline down to Mexico on Monday and then fly back on Tuesday. He explains that both he and the airplane are already in Cabo but that his co-pilot quit and left the them stranded.

 

[tomgoodman]

One way to say "I quit"

There's an old story about the probationary pilot who refused to do a walk-around inspection in the rain, saying "It flew in, it'll fly out."

 

[FirstMate]

There's an old story about the probationary pilot who refused to do a walk-around inspection in the rain, saying "It flew in, it'll fly out."

And whats wrong with that?

 

[landlover]

one captain at my company was asking for time off to do a drug test for his new job that he didnt give notice about. in the DO's office, DO is giving him a hard time about getting a day off. pager goes off, he calls dispatch infront of DO and says he cant do the trip cause he quits.

 

[Coool Hand Luke]

one captain at my company was asking for time off to do a drug test for his new job that he didnt give notice about. in the DO's office, DO is giving him a hard time about getting a day off. pager goes off, he calls dispatch infront of DO and says he cant do the trip cause he quits.

Priceless!

 

[chperplt]

When I was at Colgan, a Saab flew into LGA from PWM for a quick turn back to PWM. FO tells the Captain that he's going in to grab some breakfast and he'll be back in a few.

FO walks through the terminal and out the front door into his girlfriends car and leaves...... He called scheduling at some point on the drive home and gave his notice.

This was sometime in late 01 or early 02 I think.

 

[johnsonrod]

When I was at Colgan, a Saab flew into LGA from PWM for a quick turn back to PWM. FO tells the Captain that he's going in to grab some breakfast and he'll be back in a few.

FO walks through the terminal and out the front door into his girlfriends car and leaves...... He called scheduling at some point on the drive home and gave his notice.

This was sometime in late 01 or early 02 I think.

That's bordering on unprofessional. What happens to the innocent passengers in that case? That's sorta like a doctor who walks out on a woman while delivering her baby - completely unnecessary but real cool... I hope he found his dream job because he won't be getting any references I am sure.

 

[chperplt]

That's bordering on unprofessional. What happens to the innocent passengers in that case? That's sorta like a doctor who walks out on a woman while delivering her baby - completely unnecessary but real cool... I hope he found his dream job because he won't be getting any references I am sure.

I don't know what happened of him.... Crap like that happened a lot at Colgan.

 

[CLR2LAN]

if they paid the professionals to act like professionals, maybe people wouldn't be doing things like that.

 

[sayagain?]

That's bordering on unprofessional. What happens to the innocent passengers in that case? That's sorta like a doctor who walks out on a woman while delivering her baby - completely unnecessary but real cool... I hope he found his dream job because he won't be getting any references I am sure.

Just like when the company gives you your furlough notice right before the holidays. When the shoe is on the other foot, do you think that management gives a care?

 

[ultrarunner]

Just like when the company gives you your furlough notice right before the holidays. When the shoe is on the other foot, do you think that management gives a care?

True, but more often than not, do you think the company sweating a reference from the employee?

 

[zguy1972]

so he called me a prick

"I quit" while running (flying for a little carrier in AK)

Was caught walking into the office with my 2-weeks notice...asked by the company check-airman, "what the hell have you been up to?" Told him I had employment elsewhere...he threw his cigarette at me and began to chase me around my truck...he later became winded, about which time I asked, "Sir, have you ever flown a large category transportation jet?" He stated, "NO!" I said oh...."I AM!" he called me a prick and I left.

 

[SMOE]

if they paid the professionals to act like professionals, maybe people wouldn't be doing things like that.

Bull$hit. People know the pay scales before they walk into the interview. That dog won't hunt here.

It all comes down to Character, Integrity, and Maturity. Those traits determine professional behavior, not money.

 

[thatpilotguy]

I had a professor in college that was trying to make a point about professionalism...his statement was that the aviation industry is as large as the fastest airplane. Regardless of how you decide to leave a company, your reputation will follow you. I have the position I have now based on a positive recommendation from a previous chief pilot. That was a surprise to me being that he never told me about it. With that said I have also left companies under circumstances that I wish where different. I had to lie to a previous employer to attend an interview. I wish I could have been truthful, but the reality was that it would have had a negative effect on my employment and time off was next to impossible...thus why I left.

Now getting off my soap box....I had a non-flying job with a large corporation way back when. Rather than getting raises we received stock in the company. There was a rumor of a buy out in the wind...when it came through the stock was worth a ton. Lets just say that those of us who where vested all gave notice that Friday. I think half the company left in 2 weeks with fist fulls of cash!

 

[chickenwolf]

That's bordering on unprofessional. What happens to the innocent passengers in that case? That's sorta like a doctor who walks out on a woman while delivering her baby - completely unnecessary but real cool... I hope he found his dream job because he won't be getting any references I am sure.

I agree that its unprofessional and you define yourself regardless of pay or position; I would like to think I'd never screw a crew member or pax that way. But on the other hand its a bunch of BS. All these companies expect us to be a professional representative at all times but they go on doing things that are unprofessional and screw the pax. Such as overbooking flights or booking flights with inadequate staffing as 2 minor examples. My example is American eagle 2 years in a row same flight DFW-CMH. I was trying to get home after annual recurrent at simuflite. Both times a 2 hour delay becasue they had no crew!!

 

[uncle_rico]

I heard of one crazy dude trompin out of the chief pilot's office throwin verbal 2 week notices around but I think his nomenclature was not in align with the matrices of world class processes.

He was one of those right wing gun owners though..........

 

[Coool Hand Luke]

I heard of one crazy dude trompin out of the chief pilot's office throwin verbal 2 week notices around but I think his nomenclature was not in align with the matrices of world class processes.

He was one of those right wing gun owners though..........

OMG. Uncle Rico lured out of retirement! I cannot belive it. Nice avatar dude.

 

[hate2bL8]

integrity?!!you mean like laying off a third of your pilots so the stock performs in the eye of the shareholders;then turning around and giving yourself million dollar bonuses!! what kind of professionalism is that to rob peter to pay Paul.

 

[tittyjet]

Two poor dudes had been through enough, so they ran the numbers, then landed a Challenger (601) at a short strip during a repo leg. They then rented a car, airlined home, and told the owner where he could pick up his airplane.

Had to remove the galley/interior and defuel to get it out.

 

[Amish RakeFight]

Once quit a CFI job by flipping out on the CP. The dude got way on my nerves until one day I had it out with him and unloaded. CP just looked at me like I was insane, backed down and walked off as I verbally pissed all over him. Funny thing is, the owner wanted me to reconsider and stay. He thought well of me I suppose.

Sometimes people need to be put in their place. Especially short guys with large egos and contempt for their pilots.

 

[Thedude]

Once quit a CFI job by flipping out on the CP.

Uh-please...quiting a flight school is like kicking a whore outta bed. NEXT.....

 

[Thedude]

Bull$hit. People know the pay scales before they walk into the interview. That dog won't hunt here.

Up until about 5 yrs ago it was damn hard to get payscales for most operations. Just because you might know what the pay is doesn't prepare you for the rest of story. I to have been victim of being sung a sweet story only to find a nightmare

 

[Amish RakeFight]

Uh-please...quiting a flight school is like kicking a whore outta bed. NEXT.....

Perhaps, but it's the only quiting story I have to my name. I also made quite a scene and embarrassed the heck out of the CP, which he deserved.



Every place I've worked, aviation-related or not has been given the standard 2 week notice.

 

[G100driver]

If you made a scene, are you sure the CP was the only one embarassed?

 

[Amish RakeFight]

I certainly hadn't felt embarrassed and thought I spoke for all the other instructors as well. He was a petty man and got called on it. Personally, I think he was jealous of me in many ways. He certainly had it in for me it seemed.

 

[svcta]

That's bordering on unprofessional. What happens to the innocent passengers in that case? That's sorta like a doctor who walks out on a woman while delivering her baby - completely unnecessary but real cool... I hope he found his dream job because he won't be getting any references I am sure.

This is precisely why they have a dozen guys or so ready to go on an hour's notice. And you can say what you will, but setting pay aside, after you've been kicked in the berries enough times by an airline operator it just becomes 'us VS. them'. Sad but true.

When I left 121 for corporate(best move I ever made) I was having a monumentally bad day. The guy I was paired with was a real piece of work, too. So I had a 4 hour 'productivity break' scheduled in one of our bases(which they did to us all the time). I had already accepted a job elsewhere and given my notice, had a little sick time left....so I got off of that airplane called scheduling and said that I was unfit to finish that trip and not to call me anymore. Caught a jumpseat back to my car and never looked back.

Smartest thing I ever did, Clark.

 

[CopilotDoug]

Especially short guys with large egos and contempt for their pilots.

I worked for a guy like that outside flying. He fired, didn't release or terminate...but outright fired a girl. When her new prospective employer called him to ask the "did she work there" question, he said yes, but off the record, he would not recommend her for hire! He openly told this story to people.

Now...He could have been B.S.ing to put fear into his employees or to make himself look like a harda$$

Either way, his track record was insightful: 8 people quit under him in 3 years.