AirTran TA/Airline Mgmt.

[photopilot]

I have been following the AirTran TA discussion and it has made me curious. Pardon me if I am interjecting into something that is not my concern, but it is an airline that I have applied to so I am curious about some things.

From the pilots I have talked to in the past, the all said it was a good place to work. I never met one with a bad thing to say. So why would the company go out of their way to anger a pilot group who was content and working hard for them? We all know that content pilots stick around, work harder, and do things to save the company money and insure repeat business. On the other hand disgruntled pilots leave thus increasing training costs, don't try and save time/fuel/money, and may not go out of their way to serve the customer.

Knowing all this why would the company risk ruining the airline for what amounts to a minimal increase in costs if they gave the pilots a decent contract. I have this question industry wide. It is so obvious from my point of view where this all leads. SWA has been successful to this point because of their employees. Why are the mgmt. teams always penny smart/pound stupid. I feel certain that if they rewarded you with a good contract, they would more than make up the difference. Also if they pass a concessionary contract, they will more than lose what the contract intends to save them.

Is it all an issue of control?

 

[Frap]

In a word: yes.

 

[Sunking]

The Management thinks this pilot group is a push over, and for the most part I'd have to agree that we are unfortunately. That would explain the concessionary TA. For the last two years all I heard on the line is "we don't expect much", so that is exactly what the company gave us. We only had like 100 pilots commit to informational picketing before the TA. That being said I really believe that this POS TA has brought this group together and made us stronger. Time will tell.

 

[gt1900]

AAI managment does a great job juggling the pilots happiness and the company's costs.. AAI pilots are never gonna be the happiest group out there, but then again, we will never be completly p!issed like some of the other pilot groups either..... If you look at everything AAI's managment does, the low ball everything. Look at the last pilot negotiations, the F/A negotiations, the Midwest merger, the price they payed for the 737's, and the list goes on. Part of the reason AAI has been so successfull is also part of the reason we will never be the highest paid pilots in the industry. AAI will always have pilots that are relativly satisfied, yet always want more. This TA is a low ball offer from the company to see what its gonna take to get a TA to pass by a 51% vote.. Now, its up to the pilots to send the TA back with a 80% + no vote to let the company know they aren't close yet.. Remember, these are negotaitions, and we are negotiating.. The AAI pilots will get a good contract, not a great contract, but a contract that will satisfy most of the pilot group.. The current TA is not a good contract.. But it will come..

 

[another cfii]

Welcome to Management 101... Always to satisfy the needs of 50.1% of the pilot group.

 

[photopilot]

This TA is a low ball offer from the company to see what its gonna take to get a TA to pass by a 51% vote.. Now, its up to the pilots to send the TA back with a 80% + no vote to let the company know they aren't close yet.. Remember, these are negotaitions, and we are negotiating..

In that light it does make sense, in that it is a negotiating tactic. It just seems counter productive to needlessly anger your pilot group and destroy good will.

 

[Wesb737fo]

In that light it does make sense, in that it is a negotiating tactic. It just seems counter productive to needlessly anger your pilot group and destroy good will.

See Webster's under "Airline Management"... You'll probably see that very definition you describe above along with "refer to Lorenzo, Ornstain..etc...with the exception of SWA". Everybody loves Herb.

 

[Clyde Frog]

You get what you're willing to fight for. This pilot group seems unwilling to make the necessary sacrifices.

 

[Lear70]

In that light it does make sense, in that it is a negotiating tactic. It just seems counter productive to needlessly anger your pilot group and destroy good will.

The management here knows what they're doing. They're not stupid people, and this isn't their first rodeo.

They know that pilots are, for the most part, proud individuals who get much of their satisfaction from doing their job better than anyone else. Pilots enjoy having smiling customers, and will continue to make on-time, continue to walk down and get people's strollers when the minimum wage rampers are too slow getting them up to us, and continue to go above and beyond, all in the name of "professionalism" and "pride".

Therefore, they believe the group of people who WILL retaliate by either become apathetic in their jobs or who outright burn APU time, 2-engine taxi (very slowly as well), who will refuse open time pickups or right seat CA flying, and who write up every single small discrepancy is a small group of guys who won't be able to keep that effort up for the long-haul.

Hell, I'm p*ssed off with this T.A. and I *still* find myself helping passengers with strollers and wheelchairs because I don't think we should take our frustrations out on our customers without fair warning. IF we get to the point of authorized NMB released self-help, then the passengers have fair warning to rebook on another carrier, and they're SOL if they choose to fly on us anyway (just my personal opinion).

That's the whole POINT of self-help - make it difficult, uncomfortable, and costly to management so they'll come to the table with a livable deal.

Unfortunately, management hasn't seen any fall-out from their actions, doesn't think they WILL, and therefore proceeds on because, as long as the airline runs mostly on-time and they don't see costs skyrocket or lose money, why should they do anything to help the employees?

It's truly sad... I thought this company had the potential to be the next Southwest, but they p*ssed that potential right down the crapper and eliminated the good will they had from the last contract ratification. Just sad.

 

[cobra1]

MEH is Hiring!!! Wow. Does that mean they will be posted to the bottom of AAI Seniority List.