united Pilot and Furloughees-- we're screwed:

[FLYLOW22]

What are we going to do, lose money? Seems to me we're enabling half the operation over there, at least the whole home basing thing for certain. When the number of uber rich stops increasing and the hangover sets in on the ones who already are, and if 10 grand an hour goes to 15 because you're finally taxed appropriately, we'll see where things shake out.

We're common carriers. We hold out to the public, but I'm not sure if we pushed for a legal interpretation airlines would be required to provide service to a customer that feeds on our vulnerabilities. Additionally, it's not like we can get much customer loyalty out of you. Sounds like you rode DAL to work because that's who you had to and then cashed in your ticket home and are riding SWA for a discount. Why don't you ride DAL home? Where's the aforementioned loyalty?

You ask as if I am involved in the decision making process. The carrier that NJ Travel chooses is most likely determined by city pairs, timing to get us from A-B and price in that order.

Good luck lobbying in Washington for that tax hike on private jets. I'd be interested to see how far ALPA dollars go up against the uber-wealthy of America. Good luck with that. A noble cause... It's a bit outta my pay grade personally so I'll just watch from here.

As far as home basing goes... well... the airlines would need to shut down a heck of a lot of cities before I would personally worry. Are you proposing that your airline should pull out of 100+ market cities to save money?

Interesting plan. Maybe you were born to be in management.

 

[Flopgut]

You ask as if I am involved in the decision making process.

You said you were our most loyal. I was just following up.

 

[glasspilot]

Our home basing is every class B airport in the US save MSP. That's a great idea, just shut down those cities and we'll be screwed!

You got it! Send that idea in. You'll wipe us out and you'll get the credit.

Oh, and speaking for myself. I flew for UEX and had the "bennies". Don't think I taxi by the terminal and think to myself, "One day I can fly there!". I did at one time, but now I know I will never fly 121 again. Sorta like my pax.

 

[Flopgut]

You ask as if I am involved in the decision making process. The carrier that NJ Travel chooses is most likely determined by city pairs, timing to get us from A-B and price in that order.

Good luck lobbying in Washington for that tax hike on private jets.

Who needs to make any effort lobbying? Ford's display of the excess private jets are has helped a lot. That happens a few more times and, who knows?

 

[Flopgut]

As far as home basing goes... well... the airlines would need to shut down a heck of a lot of cities before I would personally worry. Are you proposing that your airline should pull out of 100+ market cities to save money?

Yeah, that's not what I said. I said we should just stop selling airline tickets to NJA pilots for about a year. See what happens. We need to start thinking outside the box; this isn't working too well for us just hauling you around from one complaint to the next. If every airline decided to withold service it might work.

 

[glasspilot]

First: You can't "Hold yourself out to the public...except the one company NetJets"

Second: You wouldn't be withholding service from NetJets. You would have to withhold service from every pilot AT NetJets as the pilots buy the tickets, not the company. The pilots buy 'em and keep the points / miles. The company simply pays the credit card bill at the end of the month.

Nope, you're only chance is to get every airline to simply pull out of every primary class B airport. That'll show those fractional providers.

Oh, and you're attitude summs up the main problem. You're "premium passengers" get fed up and find an alternative and you are mad at the provider of that alternative. Maybe you need to start thinking INSIDE the box, look in the mirrior and get your own house in order.

 

[Flopgut]

I'm not saying it's a great idea, but airlines have been known to play rough from time to time. And actually, if you do a little looking into it, a common carrier can decline service in certain instances. Not sure yet if this is an example, not sure if I want to or care that much really. We've got bigger issues.

Anyway, enjoy your good contract (I'm glad somebody has one, honestly), enjoy being a fartcatcher for some wealthy louse who's family hasn't worked in a few generations, and if you get a chance why don't you consider occasionally wishing us well?

 

[glasspilot]

I do wish you guys well. Honestly.

I just hate your product. It is such a pain in the @ss to fly these days. The pilots are professional, and I have quite a few friends who work for the majors. I just think the airlines have been run into the dirt ever since deregulation.

It's certainly not the pilots fault (and I've said as much above). I do wish you well though. Tough times for all...

 

[Flopgut]

I do wish you guys well. Honestly.

I just hate your product. It is such a pain in the @ss to fly these days. The pilots are professional, and I have quite a few friends who work for the majors. I just think the airlines have been run into the dirt ever since deregulation.

It's certainly not the pilots fault (and I've said as much above). I do wish you well though. Tough times for all...

I will agree we drop the ball on customer service. We have way too many employees at the airline that think their job would be better if it weren't for all the airplanes, flight crews, and customers. Mgt doesn't care that this is a flying business.

Take care and please consider the "fartcatcher" remark sincerely withdrawn.

 

[FLYLOW22]

Time = Money

Who needs to make any effort lobbying? Ford's display of the excess private jets are has helped a lot. That happens a few more times and, who knows?

I am surprised that CEOs have stayed as quiet as they have on the topic of executive transport options to be as fiscally efficient as possible considering their time is worth much more than the average American, not to mention to the company they work for.

The publicity gangbang that occured thanks to news outlets like CNN of Ford's management team arriving in DC to testify about the car industry shows either genuine ignorance on the part of the media (gasp!!! Say it ain't so) or a deliberate attempt at a ratings grab. The general public doesn't understand how a private jet can be used as a tool to increase the earnings of a company by allowing decision makers to cover more ground so that decisions that affect jobs can be made more quickly than if the team travelled through an airlines hub on a bad weather day according to that airline's schedule and from city pairs that the airline chooses to serve.

There is absolutley no way that a CEO could cover 3 city pair desintations in the North East (for example) in one day without private aviation options.

No decisions = bad news for business. Bad news for business is bad for employees, customers, suppliers, business partners and the economy.

CEOs have been much more polite (PC) about the issue than most would... But that's what they do.

For the general public (including u Flop) to assume that everyone in this countey should travel accoring to the same itenerary and mode on XYZ Airlines is quite Socialistic.

Commrade.