Liat - Sick Out

[Airboss]

http://www.liat.com/navSource.html?page_id=597
ST. JOHN’S, Antigua, December 06, 2011 – LIAT wishes to advise that all pilots who were scheduled to work this morning, Tuesday December 06, 2011, have called in sick.

As a result of the industrial action, all of the company’s morning services have been disrupted. This is also likely to affect the rest of today’s flights.

Customers affected by the disruptions who wish to rebook will be allowed to do so without charge for a period of one week from the date of their original scheduled travel. Following the one-week grace period, passengers will be required to pay applicable fare and change fees when re-booking. Passengers who are unable to travel as planned due to the industrial action, at their request, will be issued a full credit for future travel. Terms and conditions apply.

When services resume, affected passengers are advised to contact LIAT Reservations to rebook before proceeding to the airport.

LIAT also wishes to advise that passengers who decide to travel but are unable to complete their journey due to the disruption, will not be provided with meals, transportation, hotel accommodation etc. Passengers with onward connections are advised to contact their respective carriers.

For further information passengers are advised to contact: - from Antigua – 1-268-480-5582; toll free from the rest of the Caribbean – 1-888-844-5428 and from Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands – 1-866-549-5428.

LIAT sincerely apologizes to affected passengers and the general public for any inconvenience caused as a result of the action by its pilots.

 

[PBRstreetgang]

Wow,
I guess you really need pilots to run an airline.....who'd a thunk it?

 

[Gr82Aviate]

Wow,
I guess you really need pilots to run an airline.....who'd a thunk it?

That's just crazy talk...

 

[relief tube]

how big's the airline? if there's 7 guys they all coulda' gone to the carribean version of white castle the night before and all got "steamed burger sickness"...also known as the sh-it-s.

 

[XPOO]

Wow,
I guess you really need pilots to run an airline.....who'd a thunk it?

But you don't need reservation agents, rampers, mechanics and least of all fuelers. Right? I mean, airplanes magically refuel and fix themselves thesedays, right? Man, you guys really are the kingpin in the whole operation. Impressive!

 

[PBRstreetgang]

But you don't need reservation agents, rampers, mechanics and least of all fuelers. Right? I mean, airplanes magically refuel and fix themselves thesedays, right? Man, you guys really are the kingpin in the whole operation. Impressive!

All right Mr. "I wish I had the balls to be a pilot, but a mangina is all I have, so I settled on being a dispatcher"
Every one of those listed positions have been performed by contract, outsourced labor, in the past, present, and future. As a 135 pilot I was self dispatched and for 5 years I got excellent preflight planning, WX and route choicing. Then I went 121 and lost all of that and more, you are one FAA approval from being replaced by a computer, so keep on thinking you are an essential part of the process, Jerry will drop you like a bad habit, as soon as he can. You are a secondary part of the process, make yourself useful and do a little flight following instead of playing World of Warcraft on the SKYW computer you sit in front of. I have sat in a UAL jumpseat and had the dispatcher ACARS WX, ride and destination updates multiple times on a 2 hour flight. I can count the number of ACARS messages from you guys on one hand for an entire year.

 

[XPOO]

All right Mr. "I wish I had the balls to be a pilot, but a mangina is all I have, so I settled on being a dispatcher"
Every one of those listed positions have been performed by contract, outsourced labor, in the past, present, and future. As a 135 pilot I was self dispatched and for 5 years I got excellent preflight planning, WX and route choicing. Then I went 121 and lost all of that and more, you are one FAA approval from being replaced by a computer, so keep on thinking you are an essential part of the process, Jerry will drop you like a bad habit, as soon as he can. You are a secondary part of the process, make yourself useful and do a little flight following instead of playing World of Warcraft on the SKYW computer you sit in front of. I have sat in a UAL jumpseat and had the dispatcher ACARS WX, ride and destination updates multiple times on a 2 hour flight. I can count the number of ACARS messages from you guys on one hand for an entire year.

I didn't even list dispatcher as an example, imp. But since you bring it up...I see they also have unmanned planes that fly themselves. I guess we are in the same boat when it comes to being replaced. You're no more special than the guy dumping the lavs.

 

[WalterSobchak]

I have sat in a UAL jumpseat and had the dispatcher ACARS WX, ride and destination updates multiple times on a 2 hour flight. I can count the number of ACARS messages from you guys on one hand for an entire year.

You love to throw around this story about being on the UAL jumpseat...yet, you fail to take into account the workload differences between SKW and UAL. SKW dispatch desks are not region specific and likely have 30-50% more flights to dispatch/follow than that UAL dispatcher. Some of the best, most professional people I've ever worked with were and still are SKW dispatchers. They're sharp and benefit from some of the best training in the business. That's not to say all of them are great (just like there are crappy pilots, there's crappy people in every position), but most are. If you feel like you're not getting the enroute updates you want, ask. Call them out on it instead of posting anonymous crap on a public message board.

Though I'm no longer at SKW, I would like to invite you down to SGU and sit a shift with a dispatcher. I'm sure someone would be willing to walk you through the craziness of an ORD/DEN/SFO crap WX trifecta. Of course, you won't...that would require you step away from your computer, give up your anonymity & your ability to make passive-aggressive comments on FI on your day off, and do something that might actually change your perspective on something that relates directly to your career...

 

[Stifler's Mom]

Uh oh....I've seen how this turns out. Don't mess with the DX's. :beer:

Hey XPOO and Wally, Happy Holidays.

 

[XPOO]

I have sat in a UAL jumpseat and had the dispatcher ACARS WX, ride and destination updates multiple times on a 2 hour flight. I can count the number of ACARS messages from you guys on one hand for an entire year.

Don't tell me you sit at home all night, staring at the phone, waiting for your boyfriend to call, too. ACARS, like telephones, work both ways. I also seriously hope I live long enough to see the day when you have to call a computer and ask to get out of your swaps. To steal a line from Terminator: It can't be reasoned with. It doesn't feel pity, or remorse, or fear. And it absolutely will not stop, ever, until you are dead. Be careful what you wish for.

Hey XPOO and Wally, Happy Holidays.

Happy holidays to you, as well!