Welcome to Flightinfo.com

  • Register now and join the discussion
  • Friendliest aviation Ccmmunity on the web
  • Modern site for PC's, Phones, Tablets - no 3rd party apps required
  • Ask questions, help others, promote aviation
  • Share the passion for aviation
  • Invite everyone to Flightinfo.com and let's have fun

Duane Worth Cashes in on B6

Welcome to Flightinfo.com

  • Register now and join the discussion
  • Modern secure site, no 3rd party apps required
  • Invite your friends
  • Share the passion of aviation
  • Friendliest aviation community on the web

colorado418

Well-known member
Joined
May 15, 2002
Posts
128
Lets just jump right on the coat tails....


JetBlue Flt. 292 Landing Incident Illustrates Need to Maintain Highest Standards of the Piloting Profession
WASHINGTON, D.C.---The following statement was issued by Capt. Duane Woerth, president of the Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l. after the safe landing of JetBlue Flt. 292 on Wednesday at Los Angeles International Airport:



“The millions of Americans who watched the suspenseful landing of JetBlue Flt. 292 in Los Angeles saw, in living color, a real-life example of what it means to be an airline pilot. The flawless landing and safe outcome that had viewers on the edge of their seats did not happen by chance. It was the result of thousands of hours of training, experience, and preparation by the crew.​
“ALPA congratulates the JetBlue pilots and flight attendants for their outstanding performance. However, I’m sure that they would be the first to tell you that they are hardly unique in that respect. Every day, thousands of airline pilots transport millions of passengers safely despite the hazards of equipment failures, weather, and random encounters with unexpected events or conditions.* This commitment to the highest standards is exactly what we, and our customers, expect from those who choose our profession.


“Unfortunately, the high standards of our profession are under attack. Fiscal pressures from our industry’s economic crisis have resulted in enormous losses in pilot compensation and jobs. Every year, thousands of pilots leave our field either voluntarily, or by pursuing other occupations after being furloughed.

“The exemplary safety record of U.S. airlines was built on the practice of allowing only the most competent and accomplished professionals in the cockpit. By mindlessly pursuing a ‘race to the bottom’ to slash labor costs, airlines are driving away the best and the brightest of our profession. For now, the levee is holding, but we cannot forever withstand these assaults on our proud and dedicated pilot workforce.

“Airline management must learn the meaning of the adages ‘penny wise and pound foolish’ and ‘be careful what you wish for’. Government must recognize that it has a role and an obligation to assist, rather than exploit, this vital cornerstone of our economic infrastructure. We can fix a flawed aircraft part or procedure after an accident; but we cannot afford this traditional ‘tombstone’ approach to safety when it comes to the quality of our cockpit crews. Fixing a broken pilot profession will not be easy, quick, or cheap. We must act now to reverse the talent drain before it becomes an irreversible flood.”


ALPA is the union that represents 64,000 airline pilots at 41 airlines in the U.S. and Canada. Its website is www.alpa.org.


* For further examples, see information on ALPA’s annual Superior Airmanship Award recipients and other air safety awards.

# # #

ALPA CONTACTS: John Mazor, Linda Shotwell, (703) 481-4440, [email protected]
 
I have to say that I agree with most of that. I wouldn't say it is coat tail riding. Infact The UAL DC-10 accident would make a better illustration.
 
mdf said:
I have to say that I agree with most of that. I wouldn't say it is coat tail riding. Infact The UAL DC-10 accident would make a better illustration.

I think what he meant by "Lets just jump right on the coat tails...." is the fact that Jet Blue is not ALPA nor do they want to be.
 
JT8D said:
I think what he meant by "Lets just jump right on the coat tails...." is the fact that Jet Blue is not ALPA nor do they want to be.

i dont see anywhere that DW is giving credit to alpa or alpa pilots for this. he's merely giving kudos to the good work of those pilots and illustrating that high standards need to be kept...including compensation.

it looks to me like an industry wide support (across union borders) of the pilots as a whole. lets not forget that regardless of what company/union we're at, or even if the company doesnt have a union...we're all on the same side on this issue... all our wages and bennies are being eroded. that is unless you dont think we're worth more than we're being paid.
 
This is the problem.... you guys can't see the goal. The fight is out there not here. Are you so short sighted that you have to turn this into a union/non union issue?

Look at it this way? If ALPA didn't say this, who would? The Jetblue Pilots Club? This isn't a slam on jB. They deserve thier due, and to be heard in Wash DC, where the rules are made.

This isn't just read by people. Policy makers read this too. It is an effort for the piloting profession to point and say... Look, this is why safety and professionalism is paramount.

The ALPA staffers that run the Gov't affairs office will re-enforce this message of pilot professionalism when they interact with the lobbyist and the legislators. Now, think about how much more effective we can be if we had a bigger gov't affairs office. If we had our own crack team of lobbyist... pushing the cause of the professional Air Line Pilot on Capital Hill.

Q. Why do the UAL pilots have thier own Political Action Committee?
 
dash8driver said:
i dont see anywhere that DW is giving credit to alpa or alpa pilots for this. he's merely giving kudos to the good work of those pilots and illustrating that high standards need to be kept...including compensation.




I disagree..

I think Duane saw a nice opportunity for some media exposure.

He pats the nonunion JB pilots on the back (surprising how he fails to mention that they are not a part of ALPA).

Then he backhandedly slaps the JB pilots with his comments about the "race to the bottom with compensation."

Pilots are leaving the profession all the time... well.. SWA, AirTran and JetBlue are hiring... where's the disconnect?

Well Duane... if the airlines that YOUR union members work for could make money and stay out of bankruptcy... maybe we wouldn't be having this discussion.
 
8vATE said:
I disagree..

I think Duane saw a nice opportunity for some media exposure.

He pats the nonunion JB pilots on the back (surprising how he fails to mention that they are not a part of ALPA).

Then he backhandedly slaps the JB pilots with his comments about the "race to the bottom with compensation."

Pilots are leaving the profession all the time... well.. SWA, AirTran and JetBlue are hiring... where's the disconnect?

Well Duane... if the airlines that YOUR union members work for could make money and stay out of bankruptcy... maybe we wouldn't be having this discussion.


Actually, there are pilots leaving the industry. I will do the same before I work for Airtran or Jetblue wages. It is not a knock on them, rather different expectations for some. I worked too hard in college, unlike the lone Airtran pilot I know without a degree, to work for their pay. You cannot deny that one of the reasons the legacy carriers are in their precarious position is due to the fact that pilots at the jetblues/airtrans have been willing, not imposed upon them by a judge, to do the job for much less. What a shame, they will never know what great pay, benefits and work rules are like. Looking forward to all the replies that will follow.
 
If banking 150 a year, and having 16 days off a month is working for pennies and eroding the profession, I'm dying to know what other ALPA boys were making as 4th year airbus Captains? As well, what are the ALPA boys making now and how many days off are they getting?
 
Looks to me like Duane Woerthless has finally done at least something a little bit right. For the last few years, ALPA has been whining, bitching, pi$$ing and moaning to everyone that doesn't matter about the profession. Now, finally he gets off his rear end and releases a public statement. Why has he not been all over the news and TV telling it like it is? Labor has been financing pi$$ poor management and business plans. I still can't believe that UAL is in bankruptcy and losing umpteen f-ing million dollars a quarter and their brilliant management decides to spend umpteen f-ing more million dollars to REPAINT THE STUPID PLANES. What a complete waste of resources!!! How STUPID!!! I mean, I'm no Harvard MBA or anything but use some GD common sense people!!!! Use that f-ing money for something USEFUL.

I don't care what any slimy-a$$ CEO says about labor costs. SWA pays the highest 737 wages in the world and makes money. Yeah, yeah I know, they have fuel hedging. But they also have really smart managment that has built up a huge cash reserve, didn't grow too big for their britches, has an incredilbly profitable route structure, incredibly efficient use of employees, and a smart business plan. They had the cash on hand, gambled on the fuel hedges, and won. That's SMART management. They saw the writing on the wall, bought the hedges, and are now kicking everybody's a$$. Meanwhile, every other stupid managment team out there spent all their cash reserves on RJ's. 9/11 hit, and the industry has never recovered. SWA was smart enough to know that you don't put all your eggs in one basket. You'll never see an RJ at SWA. Smart as hell.

It's time to start blaming pi$$ poor management on industry problems. Not labor, not fuel, MANAGEMENT. Managers are paid those huge salaries and bonuses to figure out ways through these problems. "Rape your labor" is NOT a valid business plan. You CANNOT, EVER, EVER, run a successful service business with pi$$ed off labor. Right now pilots are pi$$ed off. Eventually something's gotta give.

OK, rant over.
 

Latest resources

Back
Top