CNN "Airlines Dirty Little Secret"

[smoknjoe]

The first thing that needs to happen is management bonuses need to be brought under control in this (and other) industries. The focal point of management is not safe operations, customer service and I dare say it is not even in sound business planning. Management in America has only two things it is concerned about these days: 1) Securing large bonuses that are not performance related and 2) finding ways to to get short bursts in stock prices with no regard to long term effects. Nothing else matters in American management in this day and age.

YUP!!!!!
And they do it while hiding behind the law. Claiming it is their fiduciary duty under law to provide for the owner/stock holders.
And with regards to the law, they are right. So the law must be changed.

Take care.
Joe.

 

[Jar Jar]

The thing that NOBODY seems to understand is that better overall compensation will result in sharper individuals making a career choice to become pilots. Its really a question of who do we want in the cockpit in the first place?

 

[time builder]

The thing that NOBODY seems to understand is that better overall compensation will result in sharper individuals making a career choice to become pilots. Its really a question of who do we want in the cockpit in the first place?

Apparently you didn't watch Captain Sully present his case before congress. He gets it. Many of us do, unfortunately it seems to be drowned out by those who don't.

 

[Jar Jar]

Apparently you didn't watch Captain Sully present his case before congress. He gets it. Many of us do, unfortunately it seems to be drowned out by those who don't.

You mean this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1D-2Q7uTSc

I've seen it, and its a solid point that needs to be driven home in the media.

 

[amaineiac]

He looks and speaks like he's about to have a coronary.

My fingers are crossed.

 

[time builder]

You mean this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1D-2Q7uTSc

I've seen it, and its a solid point that needs to be driven home in the media.

Yes, and IMHO, it's a step toward understanding "the other side."

Management isn't going to just throw money at us and hope their problems go away. Money is a recruiting tool, and a motivator. If they're going to invest more in us, they're going to expect more of us (or in some cases, our replacements).

 

[fam62c]

I remember back in about 1994 when there was the terrible ATR crash in Roselawn Indiana the same thing happened. There were hearings on TV and there was a huge article in the USA Today about pay and working conditions at the regionals. The public cared for about 2 or 3 days and that was last they ever thought about it. When they booked their next airline trip they probably did what they always do, they bought the cheapest ticket.

The problem that we've always had in the USA except for a few very short peiods of time is way too many pilots and way too few decent jobs. As long as companies have a large supply of pilots in need of work they don't have any reason to pay more than they absolutely have to. There never seems to be an end to the ranks of new people entering this profession who are willing to work cheaply. When things get tight the industry doesn't raise pay it just lowers the hiring qualifications. The whole industry is centered around cost reduction and that's the driving force behind everything. I don't see an end to this unless people simply stop entering the profession and in this economy there are so many experienced pilots out of work that even that wouldn't help. If we didn't produce any new commercial pilots in this country for the next five years there's so many pilots out of work that nobody would even notice.

 

[Brody1]

I remember back in about 1994 when there was the terrible ATR crash in Roselawn Indiana the same thing happened. There were hearings on TV and there was a huge article in the USA Today about pay and working conditions at the regionals. The public cared for about 2 or 3 days and that was last they ever thought about it. When they booked their next airline trip they probably did what they always do, they bought the cheapest ticket.


Not sure if it's still in print, but one of Eagle's (actually Simmons') captains wrote a book about that crash. I think he went on TV, too. I highly recommend the book. It's called "Unheeded Warning"- I can't remember his name.

 

[NoJoy]

I am sure the average pax would like to see pilots get paid more-but not at the cost of increased ticket prices. Heavan forbid! The pax that were interviewed should have been asked if they will willing to help with paying pilots more by paying higher ticket prices. Sounds reasonable in theory right?

 

[suupah]

One interesting note is that apparantely CJC has a locality pay scale for MGMT folks. Meaning they get paid more if they work in EWR because the increased cost of living. When asked if they have that for the pilots, HM responded no because we need to negotiate that with CJCALPA. I bet they were just about to give that to us then ALPA appeared and ruined everything.