Letter of the week at Avweb.com about Airline Pilots

[Fernando]

Beware out there! he is on the loose

Letter of the Week: Whining Pilots

In a given week, my career responsibilities may take me to two or three cities across the US. On more than one occasion, I've seen both the Atlantic and Pacific coasts on the same itinerary. Airline travel is not without annoyances, but in recent weeks, a particular thing has started working its way to the top of my list of travel peeves; whining airline pilots. 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, they're probably complaining about their jobs.
Airline flying is among the most respected of all professions, and the outwardly negative demeanor I see detracts tremendously from the well-earned image. As a private pilot who strives to maintain the utmost professionalism in my flying, I'm heretofore going to do my own part to restore prestige to the role of commanding the big iron. From now on, whenever I see pilots complaining in the terminal, their names and an account of their actions will be sent to airline customer service at my earliest convenience. I'd encourage the rest of my travel companions to do the same.
Airline pilots, I know the job ain't what it used to be, and it's not likely to change for the better. Ruminate all you want in private, but when wearing your uniform in view of passengers who entrust their lives to you, provide the modicum of professionalism the people expect. If that's too much to ask, please turn in your stripes and earn your pay on the ground like the rest of us.

 

[ATRCA]

Private pilot huh, that's funny. Every time I hear some tool in a suit claiming he's a "pilot too" it's some dumbass who thinks his one and only SR-22 ride makes him an expert. I don't care what the public thinks of me. I also don't care one bit if he's flown an airplane or has a certificate. It doesn't make him my peer or someone I'm hoping to impress. Frankly, I'd rather talk to the ones who have no flying experience. They don't suffer from the illusion that they can do the job.

I can't wait for the first one to come up and demand my name and employee information.

 

[LawReview]

Beware out there! he is on the loose

Letter of the Week: Whining Pilots

In a given week, my career responsibilities may take me to two or three cities across the US. On more than one occasion, I've seen both the Atlantic and Pacific coasts on the same itinerary. Airline travel is not without annoyances, but in recent weeks, a particular thing has started working its way to the top of my list of travel peeves; whining airline pilots. 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, they're probably complaining about their jobs.
Airline flying is among the most respected of all professions, and the outwardly negative demeanor I see detracts tremendously from the well-earned image. As a private pilot who strives to maintain the utmost professionalism in my flying, I'm heretofore going to do my own part to restore prestige to the role of commanding the big iron. From now on, whenever I see pilots complaining in the terminal, their names and an account of their actions will be sent to airline customer service at my earliest convenience. I'd encourage the rest of my travel companions to do the same.
Airline pilots, I know the job ain't what it used to be, and it's not likely to change for the better. Ruminate all you want in private, but when wearing your uniform in view of passengers who entrust their lives to you, provide the modicum of professionalism the people expect. If that's too much to ask, please turn in your stripes and earn your pay on the ground like the rest of us.

You've got to admit - it's true.

 

[Ty Webb]

Geez, I wonder why?

Pay . . . . slashed 40-60% at Legacy carriers . . . . . Duty Hours . . . increased, turn-times, decreased. Mergers, bankruptcies, lack of movement from regionals, Age 65 . . . . .

If that little putz actually asks a Pilot for his personal info, he'll probably either be beaten to death with his own appendage, or added to the FAM's "no-fly list" as a suspected terrorist, or both.

 

[scoreboardII]

Neither, we'll just call security and mention he said the "B" word...

 

[JohnQ]

Geez, I wonder why?

Pay . . . . slashed 40-60% at Legacy carriers . . . . . Duty Hours . . . increased, turn-times, decreased. Mergers, bankruptcies, lack of movement from regionals, Age 65 . . . . .

If that little putz actually asks a Pilot for his personal info, he'll probably either be beaten to death with his own appendage, or added to the FAM's "no-fly list" as a suspected terrorist, or both.

Nevertheless, as a squadron XO once told a friend of mine, "A bitching aircrew member is a happy one, and you're the happiest motherf****r I know."

My friend grumbled a bit more privately after that.

 

[ultrarunner]

Well, a crew-member could always report this prick to the FAA and the TSA as a potential security threat.

Or someone could stop over to his house and have a bit of a chat with him.



If you want his name, it's on the avweb article. And from that you can get his address from the FAA site.

Little prick pvt pilot!

 

[AA767AV8TOR]

And writing into our esteemed managements to complain about our private conversations will accomplish exactly what??!!

AA767AV8TOR

 

[crj567]

Beware out there! he is on the loose

Letter of the Week: Whining Pilots

In a given week, my career responsibilities may take me to two or three cities across the US. On more than one occasion, I've seen both the Atlantic and Pacific coasts on the same itinerary. Airline travel is not without annoyances, but in recent weeks, a particular thing has started working its way to the top of my list of travel peeves; whining airline pilots. 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, they're probably complaining about their jobs.
Airline flying is among the most respected of all professions, and the outwardly negative demeanor I see detracts tremendously from the well-earned image. As a private pilot who strives to maintain the utmost professionalism in my flying, I'm heretofore going to do my own part to restore prestige to the role of commanding the big iron. From now on, whenever I see pilots complaining in the terminal, their names and an account of their actions will be sent to airline customer service at my earliest convenience. I'd encourage the rest of my travel companions to do the same.
Airline pilots, I know the job ain't what it used to be, and it's not likely to change for the better. Ruminate all you want in private, but when wearing your uniform in view of passengers who entrust their lives to you, provide the modicum of professionalism the people expect. If that's too much to ask, please turn in your stripes and earn your pay on the ground like the rest of us.

Complain all you want-it won't change the job, and it sure won't stop any of our bitching....

I am truly one happy mother********************er!

 

[LawReview]

Well, a crew-member could always report this prick to the FAA and the TSA as a potential security threat.

Or someone could stop over to his house and have a bit of a chat with him.



If you want his name, it's on the avweb article. And from that you can get his address from the FAA site.

Little prick pvt pilot!

Ahh...Care to gues what the federal penalty is for falsely reporting a crime?

 

[ultrarunner]

Ahh...Care to gues what the federal penalty is for falsely reporting a crime?

If someone comes up to me and attempts to take information off my ID, I'm making a quick call to airport security. Simple as that.

At the very least, the person will be detained long enough to miss their flight. And I think that would be deterrent enough.

Flight crews and cabin crews are given a fair amount of latitude when it comes to reporting "suspicious" behavior.

 

[mazbaird]

How would you feel if someone falsely reported smelling alcohol on your breath just before departure?

 

[ultrarunner]

How would you feel if someone falsely reported smelling alcohol on your breath just before departure?

Is it my last leg home, or the first leg of a 4-day?

 

[LawReview]

If someone comes up to me and attempts to take information off my ID, I'm making a quick call to airport security. Simple as that.

At the very least, the person will be detained long enough to miss their flight. And I think that would be deterrent enough.

Flight crews and cabin crews are given a fair amount of latitude when it comes to reporting "suspicious" behavior.

I'm just trying to stop people from making stupid decisions. People read information off ID's and name tags all the time. If it's in public view it's legit. Put your ID in your pocket if you don't need it and don't want people looking at it.

Reporting "suspicious behavior" always has to have some some resonable belief behind it. Besides being criminal, causing someone to miss a flight now meets the standard of liability. While there is some perceived latitude for flight crews I wouldn't want to test it. Besides, what are you going to make a person miss their flight for - interferring with flight crew complaining?

Step out from your paradigm. Doesn't it irritate you when you're at another business and have to hear employees complaints, particularily out of context?

That's it. I'm all for complaining, just not quite as obnoxious.

 

[DairyAir]

I cannot agree more with this individual. If we want to be treated like professionals then we should act like professionals. Bitching and complaining about your job in front of the very people who pay your salaries will not further our agenda of returning this profession back to its former glory. You want to complain do it out of the public eye, at the overnight bar or whatever. The public thinks we are a bunch of overpaid crybabies already why make it worse. And weren't we all private pilots at some point or did they hand you an ATP after your first checkride. Give the guy a break he's right!

 

[EMBpilot]

Raising public awareness is good. Let him write.


Maybe in the next article he will come up with solutions to the problem, not just ..... whining about it

 

[waveflyer]

That's funny- he sounds like a union busting lawyer getting on the blogs. I learned thar lesson a long time ago with fair weather pilots. I respect anyone who flies- but it doesn't mean they can do what we do. I also love the business traveler who thinks they travel a lot. I've never met one who in the end a) didn't fly a 1/3 of what I do. And b) doesn't admit to being very tired after even short trips.

That being said- there's a fair amount of us that wouldn't know what to do with ourselves if we weren't fighting somebody-whether it's mgmt or each other.

Wag more, bark less.

 

[Ty Webb]

Puh-leaze!

I cannot agree more with this individual. If we want to be treated like professionals then we should act like professionals.

This industry needs a lot more than "Looking/Acting Professional"- that just doesn't cut it. Maybe it's time the rest of the country sees what has happened to the profession. Take the window-dressing off of it. Call it what it is. Stop pretending everything's freakin' peachy.

"Looking Professional/Acting Professional" hasn't helped the Pilots of Midwest Airlines, and it hasn't helped the Pilots of:

Branniff
TWA
Eastern
Midway (original)
Pan Am
Delta (40% - 60% pay cut, loss of retirement)
United
Delta (40% - 60% pay cut)
NWA (see DAL)
Alaska (see DAL)
USAir
America West

Your name here.

 

[Amish RakeFight]

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, they're probably complaining about their jobs.

WTF?

From now on, whenever I see pilots complaining in the terminal, their names and an account of their actions will be sent to airline customer service at my earliest convenience.

Perhaps you should mind your own business and NOT eavesdrop.

Ruminate all you want in private, but when wearing your uniform in view of passengers who entrust their lives to you, provide the modicum of professionalism the people expect.

If you were neither addressed nor a participant in the conversation, then it IS in private.

 

[ultrarunner]

Amish hit the nail on the head with his last comment. Let 'em bitch all they way. As far as I'm concerned, until they push back, they are on their OWN TIME...uniform or not!

Mr. Matthew Sawhill needs to get a friggin life, sit in the back, shut up, and be glad he gets home!