America's newest frequent flyer

[waveflyer]

Pay has made Southwest pilots happy.

100% agree. It's why I work there.

But it's not just pay. They pay well- and have most of the other intrinsic factors that do make a person happy.

There's a study I ran across in BS- a lack of pay can make someone unhappy. All the money in the world can't make a person happy. Happiness comes with trust, caring, responsibility, opportunities for personal and professional growth, advocacy.

Pilots get unhappy when they are treated like and internalize that they are just a seniority number- out of control- along for the ride.

SWA proves AA mgmt wrong- and magnifies their lack of leadership.

Why america puts up with corporations that don't act like swa, I don't know. I am grateful to work for them.

 

[PsubS]

Gogglespisano wrote:

My employer pays my salary, negotiated by my union. My employer derives its income from passenger revenue (overwhelmingly business class) and cargo revenue. The flying public does not "pay my salary."

and Whymeworry wrote:

Ahhhh... yeeeeeeeeeeeah. They don't pay our salary. If they did a simple $3 a ticket raise is all we need to get our contract back to where it was 10 yrs ago. Wanna' bet they're not willing to pay that amount?

Both of you are incredibly wrong and short sighted. Sure, your employer signs the check. Who creates the revenue stream? The customer. Want proof? Not enough customers, no job. It's simple economics, folks.

That attitude is--exactly--why customer service has dropped within OUR industry. The customer is not always right, but they are ultimately the ones who pay the bills. We need to keep the customers, not alienate them with unwarranted bitching and complaining.

Show some pride...do your job right, bitch in private, and continue to fight (within your union or company) to raise our respective pay, standard of living and quality of life.

 

[GogglesPisano]

That attitude is--exactly--why customer service has dropped within OUR industry.

Of course, it couldn't possibly have anything to do with pay rates cut in half, work rules dismantled, and pensions stolen as CEO's took bonuses.

I don't complain in public, primarily because it would have serve no purpose but secondly because the travelling public spent some money to travel and shouldn't be subjected to employees griping -- just like I wouldn't want to hear complaints from Home Depot workers or my lawyer. I take exception to your idea that "they pay my salary," for reasons stated. We'll agree to disagree.

 

[waveflyer]

Ultimate responsibility is, by definition, on management. Leadership matters. If I'm talking to an individual pilot- I'd say 'don't complain, youre only pissing yourself off'- but that doesn't mean that better leadership and management out of airline executives couldn't solve the problems that we're complaining about.

 

[Britpilot]

"I can guarantee with 95 percent certainty that if two or more people with white shirts and epaulettes are chatting together in an airline terminal"


Was it "complaining in public" or a nosy private pilot listening in on a private conversation between two pilots. I thought it was rude to eavesdrop, or has freedom of speech been revoked?

 

[PsubS]

It is not a question of your God-given right to bitch. It's about not doing it in front of the public.

I take exception with the comment made that the ultimate responsibility falls upon management. There is plenty of give and take in that dynamic.

Ultimate responsibility for your attitude lies with....you. Go figure.

Life isn't perfect. You and only you are responsible for how you deal with it.

 

[waveflyer]

True- if you read with any depth my post, you'd see I agree- But This isn't a 'what came first, the chicken or egg?' scenario. An employment culture begins with management. Does it take employees buying into it? YES! But employees cannot create a culture that management doesn't lead.

As the saying goes.... consider what has happened since 2000 to the airline industry- now think back to deregulation in 1978. How much $$$ have airline employees earned- and watched taken out of the industry by opportunistic CEOs? At some point, if you're not pissed, you're not paying attention. In this environment of anything goes management bandits- I find it hard to criticize a pilot for their attitude about it. And management's industry wide could do the very many things that SWA does and get happier employees. It's not rocket science. It's understanding humanity. They, by and large, choose NOT to. That's their choice-- and no pilot is responsible for their lack of leadership and management ability.

Once again, I'm seeing the most important quality of a man: "responsibility"- skull f^cked by someone who thinks that anyone else ought to be responsible for the immoral and bad choices made by an airline management. If only seniority weren't what it was so we would all be free to leave employers acting in such a way. Your argume t would hold more water if airline mgmt weren't so egregious. If they all acted like SWA- I'd 1000% agree with you-

they don't. And only they are responsible for that.

 

[Britpilot]

It is not a question of your God-given right to bitch. It's about not doing it in front of the public.

I take exception with the comment made that the ultimate responsibility falls upon management. There is plenty of give and take in that dynamic.

Ultimate responsibility for your attitude lies with....you. Go figure.

Life isn't perfect. You and only you are responsible for how you deal with it.

I will talk with whom I want, where I want and about whatever I want. If you don't like what you hear, don't listen.

 

[bluefin]

Gotta bitfh in the terminal! they way things are going it will be sterile cockpit during the entire flight!

 

[PsubS]

Originally Posted by PsubS
It is not a question of your God-given right to bitch. It's about not doing it in front of the public.

I take exception with the comment made that the ultimate responsibility falls upon management. There is plenty of give and take in that dynamic.

Ultimate responsibility for your attitude lies with....you. Go figure.

Life isn't perfect. You and only you are responsible for how you deal with it.


I will talk with whom I want, where I want and about whatever I want. If you don't like what you hear, don't listen.

Outstanding. Go for it.

And when your airline folds due to piss-poor customer service, I'll be glad to pick up your slack.