Just how stupid is ASA management?

[~~~^~~~]

Papa Woody -

The more likely exposure is from the FSDO. Passenger injury is not the kind of history you want when you apply elsewhere. With the lack of stability in the RJ business, even those happy where they are at need to keep an eye for the future.

Besides - to be a regional pilot nowdays you need trust fund money and even I was able to stick back a considerable sum before leaving ASA.

That 401K looks like an asset to me, so does that fancy house....

 

[John Pennekamp]

I'd rather be a weasel than kicked in the nuts, but just in case, wearing a cup to work might not be a bad idea.

I thought you left for Delta? Are you back? BTW, the real Scott thinks you're hilarious.

 

[CFI2766]

Actually, a passenger can sue a pilot, has, and at times I've made a pretty good living helping to defend a few of them.

Most often in the 121 world the operator has insurance coverage that extends to cover the actions of the servants of that operator making the litigation time consuming, but not too risky for the pilot. The Plaintiffs are happy to get the money from the insurer and stop there.

However, some operators (or plaintiffs) will allege the pilot was operating outside the operator's procedures meaning that the pilot was operating outside of the scope of their authority. In that case, insurance coverage would no longer apply.

ASA's first reaction to any incident is to blame the pilot. (I don't know if that has changed since the departure of the former CSSC director.) I've always thought this was a stupid strategy since it provides lots of memos, reports and other evidence that could be quickly discovered and used against the pilot and the company (remember the pilot is the servant, representative and in some ways the Company's agent). ASA's simple minded approach seems to be related to trying to deflect any FAA action to the pilot's certificate and not the Company's. ASA lets the insurer deal with the mess from the liability perspective.

While getting sued directly from a passenger is a remote exposure, it can happen.

What is much more likely is that a passenger complains to the DOT/FAA, or a passenger injury is reported (as it is supposed to be) and you get a letter from the FAA in the mail. You might not have even been aware that the passenger complained and you might not have filed a NASA form, or ASAP....

Different FSDO offices and FAA Inspectors have wildly different ideas about proper enforcement action for passenger injuries. Fortunately we have an experienced and fair FSDO in ATL. Other areas are not as good and a 60 day suspension for a pax injury is common in some places.

Bottom line is this - as a crew member YOU are responsible for your passengers' safety. It does not matter how they get hurt, if there is any way that you can forsee a hazard and fail to protect them you can be held responsible and it is an easy case to make.

Fins,

Appreciate the posts. I hope you don't abandon the regional boards as time goes by. Good insight, and, you are correct: we don't get this kind of insight at company sponsored training.

 

[601Pilot]

Actually, a passenger cannot sue you as an individual. ALPA mandates the company is to blame. I've NEVER heard of an individual getting sued at an airline. Perhaps I am wrong, but any source listed here would be the first I have heard of.

You might want to check out the suit against the Comair pilot in the LEX accident.

 

[Shaheen]

*Hotels - They've started to take us out of good and O.K. hotels and are putting us in Roach Motels with no regard for safety or food in order to save a few bucks.

*Payroll - They f*%k up our paychecks on a consistant bases and take forever to settle our issues when they owe us money. If they overpaid us they will take it out of our accounts so fast it will make your head spin.

*Scheduling - Frequently pilot pushing and trying to make us violate the contract and FAR's. Most schedulers hate the flight crews.

*Benefits - Life insurance beneficiaries are wrong. Most married pilots have just found out the company has wrongly put down their parents instead of their spouse as the benificiary of their life insurance. Their screw-up is the responsibility of the pilot to get it changed.

*Crew Planning - The dumbsh*t crew planners believe we are more productive spending 24 hour layovers in hotels on a 4-day trip instead of building a 3-day productive trip. The latest lines show they have no regard for our quality of life. Some lines duty-in early in the morning on day 1 and duty -out late in the evening on day 4 making it in all actuality a 5 day trip.

*Extended Trips - Because ASA is not attractive to potential pilots we are short of crews and being extended on trips when we are supposed to be going home.

*Grievances - Probably more than any other airline because they constantly violate our contract.

*New Contract? - 5 years of disrepect by not coming prepared to meetings and wasting time because they no we will not be released. In the meantime they laugh and slap themselve on the back and give themselves bonuses at our expense.

*Moral - All time low! The September lines just may be the straw that breaks the camel's back.

The stupid bastards come to us and tell us that if we know anybody that has a private license and can steam up a mirror if it's held under their nose have them send in a resume. The pilot shortage has made them lower minimums because there management tactics have made flying for an airline not worth the effort. The new low time pilots have made it like flying single-pilot in some cases. This is an accident in the making.

They schedule these unrealistic quickturns in ATL with plane swaps and complain about not running on time. Well listen-up management: If my crew or myself need food you can damn well expect us to take the time to get it. And don't expect me to bust my a$$ getting to the next plane. The standard excuse for everything: It's Delta, Delta, Delta!

They actually had the audacity to ask us to come in after midnight on a day off and help clean planes because they have done such a sorry job doing it themselves.

And don't expect me to take a plane with a deferred APU or pack. You try to intimidate us into taking them but where will you be when a passenger dies from a heatstroke or a heart attack because it was 120 degrees in the cabin.

Management take warning, if you show up at this next round of negotions with the same attitude and games you can probably expect a full blown mutiny. (If it hasn't already started.)

There are so many more examples but I've got other things to do today. Maybe a few of you reading can think of examples I left out. I'm sure I'll think of more.

Hang in there ASA pilots, we'll get what's ours.

Stupid enough that they hired YOU!

Smart enough that they laugh all the way to bank each day about 4pm while you sit there and rant about your quality of life and little money that you make...as a mighty airline pilot!

If you want to enjoy what they enjoy, why not become part of 'management' and clean up the house?

But...you'd need 'smarts' for that!

Sorry, you're stuck flying the line. Now go back to your room.

 

[John Pennekamp]

Now go back to your room.

Speaking of which, your mom just called and said it's time to get off the computer and do your homework.

 

[Scott Holl]

I thought you left for Delta? Are you back? BTW, the real Scott thinks you're hilarious.

I do. Not HAHA funny, but hee hee funny.

 

[CFI2766]

I do. Not HAHA funny, but hee hee funny.

Is ASA losing more pilots than it is hiring?

 

[bailout]

Is ASA losing more pilots than it is hiring?

You've been there a few months, arent you upgrading soon??

 

[IamHYPOXIC2]

* stop calling ops for services and just tell the gate agents

* don't board unless there is a fuel truck sitting outside the plane

* APU deferred...well, you know what to do.

* do your job only!! stop getting off the plane and running after the catering truck for a case of water.

Anyway, I don't approve of these tactics.....just food for thought........

Have a great weekend and board'em up!!!