Back to Squawk list
  • 25

American cancels flights as pilots call in sick

Размещено
 
NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- American Airlines has canceled more than 300 flights since Sunday and will cut back on the number of flights through the end of October, because pilots, unhappy with their labor contract, have started to call in sick, the airline said Wednesday. (money.cnn.com) Ещё...

Sort type: [Top] [Newest]


preacher1
preacher1 7
I said it was fixing to get ugly.
sparkie624
sparkie624 5
Yeah... I could see that one coming. And the ones flying are nit picking the planes apart... I am sure that there Maintenance Control is at an overall high number of calls.
mpradel
Marcus Pradel 5
What's the average AA pilot age now?

They haven't hired hardly anyone in the last 10-15 years..

This is happening to ALL carriers, overseas, you just see 20-40% of flights canceling on the last week of the month!
preacher1
preacher1 4
They probably won't be hiring much of anyone until after they emerge from BR, and get thru all the retirements. Cancelling a flight used to be a last resort but now it's a tool for reducing capacity as well. Like I said, it will get ugly before it's done.
Cioc
Katherine Magon 2
52 is the average age of the pilots
Derg
Roland Dent 1
so what...the important thing is their waist size....
bishops90
Brian Bishop 2
A lady friend of mine (who was of non-southern heritage) used to laugh her head off at me for saying "fixing to"!
preacher1
preacher1 1
As you said, NON SOUTHERN HERITAGE.LOL
Derg
Roland Dent 1
bettya they are balding too....
floatplaneS7
floatplaneS7 4
Sadly some of us need to experience losing your job (company collapsing) to really appreciate what you have. Trust me, you'll have a different outlook especially when kids, house and income suddenly stops and your suddenly find your 'mates' climbing over you to get 'that' job.

I understand wages and conditions, but in the case of AA the warning flags are waving, perhaps both parties should think about it more so.....the unemployment live in the US is long, way long.
Ddvanoo1
David Van Der Like 3
I don't usually comment on this forum because most people here are predisposed to their opinions and it doesn't really matter what I say to them...even if it is the truth. But at some point the truth has to be leveled to everyone with an opinion...even if there is disagreement. I am an AA 767 Captain and very proud to hold the position. I know how I got here and I know what is expected of me. I can see that the hardest part of this job right now is overcoming the media frenzy over the recent performance of American Airlines. Reading the comments on this forum, one would think that the pilots were the main reason that flights are being delayed/cancelled for vindictive reasons. You folks couldn't be more wrong. I have read that we should be happy to have a job, we are getting what we deserve because some ATC guy went on an illegal strike and we didn't support him in the 80's. DOES ANYONE LOOK AT WHAT THE COMPANY HAS DONE TO US IN THE LAST 10 YEARS AND DRAW THE CONCLUSION THAT THEY SCREWED UP!!!! Just to capsulize (if you are still in this conversation) the pilots agreed to a 35% reduction in pay to help the company, OUR company, avoid bankruptcy. In the intervening years (that contract ended in 2008) there have been no pay raises or working improvements...but our expenses (as well as most of yours) have gone up exponentially. But guess what, management figured out a way to reward themselves for doing an abysmal job...to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars. Trust me when I say, you are looking at the wrong target of your angst. I make sure that my airplane is safe for the carriage of passengers. I heard a commentator on television complaining about writing up a loose screw on the wing...I know most on this forum are aviation savvy...would you take an airplane that had a loose screw on the wing? Anyone? The FAA recently fined AA 162 million dollars for maintenance discrepancies... the largest fine in aviation history...seems to me that the pilots are on the passenger's side. All it takes is one deadly accident and everyone will be saying - the pilots knew there was a problem, why didn't they do anything about it? You don't want to be sitting on the airplane that got out 'on time' because the pilots cut some corners, do you?
julianjim
jim garrity 2
I'm behind you 100% David.SAFETY FIRST,after all you want to get home too! Best of luck to all of you, and hope to see things back to "normal" soon.
JBHorner
Joel Horner 1
Yes, the ongoing reduction in pay/benefits is a lousy deal. It is not, however, limited to pilots at American...or even airlines in general. I read, below, a comment that people were being asked to do more with fewer people. Welcome to the 21st century. The question one must ask is whether there were inefficiencies that allowed a bloated workforce to form. (I don't know, nor do I have enough insight to form an opinion.) I have to say, however, it does feel like the unions involved in these actions are a bit behind the times.

I was affected by these problems last week. On Sunday, I received an automated call from American telling me that my flight on Monday was canceled. But, not to worry--they'd booked me on another flight. In their mind, all was great. Never mind the fact that my new arrival time was 2.5 hours past what I'd originally booked. Then, on my way to the airport on Monday morning, I received a text message from TripIt telling me that my flight was canceled. (No call from American this time.) So, I called American. Sure enough, the flight was canceled. I was then booked on yet another two flights, as my whole itinerary had to be changed. On my return flights two days later, the first took off two hours later than usual, due to a "mechanical issue." This caused me to have to run to catch my connecting flight, as it was 15 minutes before it left. I should note that this was after I changed the return flights to allow for more time between flights--2.5 hours--because I didn't have the confidence that I would arrive on time.

The bottom line for me? I don't really care what is behind the poor operational issues. I have business commitments I must meet, and travel is a big part of those commitments. I called and canceled my next three trips on American, and moved them to other carriers. This is the reality that all employees at American should understand before putting customers in the middle of labor issues. Most of us (customers) don't really care what's behind the issues. We care about getting to where we need to go, when we planned to get there. If enough of American's customers get fed up and go to another carrier, that is a direct revenue impact. Less revenue/fewer passengers translates to even tougher decisions.

Between mechanical delays, and the "our gate isn't open" problems (when I landed, we waited 20 minutes on a taxiway because the gate wasn't open, my tolerance is gone.
Ddvanoo1
David Van Der Like 2
Joel, I totally understand your comments and your decisions regarding flights on AA. It only makes sense, from a business standpoint, to minimize your risk. I am just amazed at how many people look at what is happening at American Airlines and only point the finger at the pilots or the union. We tried to fix this problem in 2003 when we voluntarily (in a spirit of company pride) gave up 35% of our pay and additional other work rule concessions to keep the company out of bankruptcy. The company squandered the opportunity and, to make matters worse, decided that they should reward the management team hundreds of millions of dollars in performance bonuses (in spite of posting losses every quarter). A very real slap in the face...welcome to the 21st century. As a business man (I honestly would like to know) is this a practice that you would encourage if you were the CEO? Maybe all businessmen think that the employees are just part of the machine. I have seen otherwise and believe we can have leaders with integrity. It is interesting that instead of complain to the judge because we are perceived to be hurting business, they have decided to schedule more negotiations. I will continue to ensure that my airplane complies with the standards established by the FAA and the company and never compromise yours, or my, safety...even when I am the highest paid pilot in the industry.

Hope your next experience is more satisfactory.
preacher1
preacher1 1
There are several comments here that put the Union at the root of all this. They can't be at all of it or they would have an out and out revolt from people such as yourself that just happen to give a damn about things. That said, one or 2 well placed hotheads can have a domino effect through the whole system. AA was once at the top of the heap and was truly America's Airline. It was the model that other's tried to emulate. For what ever reason, it is now on a downhill slide with the PAX caught in the middle. I was kinda like Joel on flying as a PAX. I scheduled my business and meeting times around thoses arrival/departue times that the airline had posted. Some us those folks had my company tied to a 99.5 OT service. I expected no less from anyone else and that included the airline.
All that said, there is a problem somewhere, with all our instantaneous communication, it is being exploited, AND SOMEBODY NEEDS TO FIX IT WHILE THERE IS SOMETHING LEFT TO FIX!!!!
TheBunnie
Bunnie Meyer 1
I sat on those thin cushions while the pilot was playing the "maintenance" game and if you want proof the pilots are playing a game, for half an hour he couldn't find the supervisor who had to sign off the ticket, this after over 2.5 hours of waiting while supposedly maintenance talked to some other city about a seal on a wing tip that didn't need to be replaced.

I'm on Social Security and scrimped on a AA flight to my 50th class reunion, so excuse me if I don't feel terribly sad that you are taking home a 767 captain's pay and while you may think you deserve twice as much, there are a whole lot of unemployed people who have been through 4 years of college and the school of hard knocks and would love to take home even half what you do.

Be thankful you haven't been laid off and pushed aside for a younger guy who will work cheaper.
Ddvanoo1
David Van Der Like 1
I know I am probably wasting my time trying to 'talk you down' from this ledge but for whatever reason I feel compelled to do it. You seem like a nice person and my ONLY point is that your anger and frustration at your experience are misdirected. Pilots don't furnish the planes (we sit on the same cushions that management purchased). You may have missed my earlier point about the mechanics being unhappy at their reduction in force...they are now asked to do the job with far fewer personnel. We have no choice than to wait for a mechanic when there is a discrepancy to be signed off. This example is not proof of pilot 'games' but rather mismanagement by an obviously incompetent company. I'm sorry, but I can't just 'excuse' you for making statements that are derived from misinformation. Although a 767 Captain's salary sounds like it should be a big deal, I am making far less than I was making in 1999, as a first officer. I don't expect you to feel sorry for me. I also have 4 years of college, and a US Navy career ( there may have been some hard knocks there) and a work culture that has kept me away from my family for at least half of every month for the last 20 years.

I could go on...and I want to, if for no other reason than to make the point that you are angry with the wrong people. We have taken our pay cuts and career stagnation while our management 'team' has increased their 'take' 900%!! (saw that figure somewhere, not sure how accurate)...the point is that while we have contributed for the last 10 years, they have handsomely rewarded themselves during a period that resulted in losses. Wouldn't you think that performance bonuses would have something to do with the health and prosperity of the company? These guys have figured out how to make themselves feel good about their bonus, while they are staring at bankruptcy!

Oh well, good luck to you Bunnie, I hope I get to take you to your next reunion, and I'll make sure they double up the cushions for you. Oh yeah, almost forgot, I am thankful.
preacher1
preacher1 1
@ David: hopefully they are through working on the page and this will go as a reply. I have one to you from last night that is sitting up there by itself 4-5 above.
At any rate, you are correct in that you are probably wasting time. I haven't seen her on here until this story came out. She has only been a member for 10 months and obviously had 1 bad experience and has drank the media Kool Aid, with no real interest in getting at the crux of the problem.
TheBunnie
Bunnie Meyer 1
I didn't drink any media Kool-Aid, I sat in that seat and waited and waited and waited and if you want MY proof they were goofing off, no one was in touch with the ONE person who had to sign off the maintenance log and they "spent" a half hour looking for him AFTER all the conversations were over about a wingtip seal that didn't need to be replaced.

I've very happy David says he will do what is right for the airline, we buy a ticket at whatever the price is on the screen and we expect to fly there without some union screwing up our trip because they are have issues with management. Let them picket outside the airport instead of screwing up our flights with union tactics.

This is 2012, not the 80s when ticket prices were high, meals were delicious, seats were comfortable and pay was luxurious. Newbie carriers with efficient planes have taken on AA and that is who you work for, gross management errors and all. If their BK plans don't make you happy, so will your unemployment check, be happy you still have a job.

Unions used to be to help the working poor and AA has gotten themselves into BK and if it was ALL or part bad management it doesn't matter to the people who TRUSTED that the planes and the PILOTS would be there to take them to their destination when they bought their tickets. The unions want a sickout and "replace a light bulb" maintenance to pressure AA and the union doesn't give a F about the people who bought the tickets in good faith.

Unfortunately with many unions, the people with the greatest degree of arrogance get elected and the members think they are being represented. Yeah, right, until they have no job.
Ddvanoo1
David Van Der Like 2
I guess it must have been something much stronger than Kool-Aid. I'm not a mechanic, so I'm not sure from your version how important that wing tip seal might have been, but I am quite certain that I would have waited however long it took to find out for sure. I am assuming that you wanted to eventually get to your destination, even if it was later than planned. You seem convinced that we are using 'union tactics'. I am using FAA policy. Guess you missed the missive about the $162 million fine levied against AA for maintenance related problems, I guess as long as you get where you are going then those issues aren't important. I am sorry that in all your anger you have still missed the point of my joining the conversation in the first place. The company and the media (and now you) have made us the villain...we are not. If you think that all the problems would disappear if we just flew those damn airplanes, again, you have missed the point. I get that you are not a frequent flyer, which puzzles me why you would be on this web site in the first place, but these scenarios are not uncommon for a variety of reasons. I will restate, for the record, we are not staging a sickout and if the "light bulb" happens to say "FIRE" and it doesn't come on when it should...well, you probably get the picture. I will take an unemployment check over a company that doesn't value it's employees...or customers. Again, sorry for your experience.
TheBunnie
Bunnie Meyer 1
Sorry you are taking this personal, I was not aiming at any one person. I used to fly often and now I don't, my partner died last October and for about eight years she was too sick to fly anywhere so this is my first trip in a long time and I simply paid what the screen said to pay for the only connection I could make with the other one prop, two pilot, eight seat plane to get back for my class reunion.

It is unfortunate that pilots are not getting the pay they either want or deserve, whatever the case, but the day after I was back the pilots were picketing outside LAX and calling in sick and flights were cancelled and that was the UNION in addition to whatever nitpicking the pilots could do in maintenance and as I understand it the reports shot up 500% over last month so not calling that a UNION action would be farfetched, it looks like a duck, it walks like a duck and it quacks. It might be different if the reports were up something but not five times.

I don't begrudge you an honest days living and maybe AA can pay it to you and maybe management has screwed up so badly that it is no longer possible, I am no judge of that, but I watched TV and I saw the screen of cancelled flights and the sick calls and that is your UNION screwing AA passengers so if they want to kill AA, then every pilot can quit at once and you can kill AA but unless that is going to happen, every pilot ought to show up for work and NOT screw the passengers through sick calls or fake maintenance and YOU know the difference between a screw missing on the dash and a fuel cap that won't close.

Capitalism says AA will live or die and every passenger the pilots chase away with their bully tactics is an exercise towards death of an airline. Deal with the Pension Guarantee Board, not nearly as generous as a going airline.

We could do this forever, but I'm going to stop and let you and anyone else have the last words.

Thanks, Bunnie
Ddvanoo1
David Van Der Like 1
I wanted to let this conversation die with your last words, but I decided I wouldn't have accomplished my goal of rebutting the company and the media if I didn't make one last attempt to invoke the truth. I know I am being repetitive, but so have you been, so I guess that's the way it goes. By any quantifiable measure, there is not one shred of evidence to conclude that American Airlines pilots are staging a sick out. If that were the case, the company would have gone to the judge immediately and requested some form of relief...they never did. So, instead, they are waging a PR battle to try to deflect criticism from their mismanagement. Did I mention the mechanics weren't happy, either? Bunnie, none of what you are saying is personal to me. You have your opinion and I can't change it. Just wish you had been willing to listen to the reality of the situation and the back story. Oh well, they have a bigger PR budget, so it figures. Quack, quack...:)
preacher1
preacher1 1
I don't doubt your trip experience but your last line kinda puts you and David on the same side of the fence. Can't nodody deny that some of what you speak is happening, as there are always hotheads in any labor issue. The bottom line to what he is saying is that he's not in that crowd, but if you are well versed in the History between management and Labor at AA, you will find that 35% pay cut a few years back with no appreciation from management and it won't be any better this round either. PAX should not be caught in the middle as that is where the revenue stream to keep the airline afloat comes from. Unfortunately, they are, and the results will not be pretty.
devsfan
ken young 3
This is what happens when the "us vs them" mentality of unions prevails.
It is not a union which good pilots make. It is the skill and dedication of the person at the controls. However, union bosses have set up an adversarial system. The demands of unions( high wages and gold plated benefits) are no longer sustainable. Management has the other half of the fault. These people have lost control of their firms to bean counters.
Quite frankly air fares are TOO LOW. Carriers struggle to pay the cost of operating aircraft because the cost of the seat has far out raced the price of the seat.
In my view carriers would be quite content to carry business travelers, first class PAX and cargo. Leisure travel? Dump it. Or charge the cost of the seat plus profit.
Carriers were invaded by unions back when carriers had protected , non-competitive routes. Competition has knocked down fares and revenue streams to cut throat levels.
56hornet1218
Herschel McMillan 2
if you are working for a company that is so close to bankruptsy, why would you want to hurry it on down the road.
preacher1
preacher1 2
That would be common sense, but with the adversarial relationship that has now developed between labor and management, that seems to have trumped that. I saw the same thing in the early 80's when that happened to the Rock Island RR. Lot's of stuff went into that one but the bottom line was that the deep ockets either ran out of or cut off the money. Folks need to realize that a private company(non government) has to make a profit to stay in business and if it can't, it exits the marketplace.
TheBunnie
Bunnie Meyer 2
AA pilots can get a new contract with a pay decrease. Sunday I boarded early and for an hour no one got on, there were "maintenance" issues inside and out. After two+ hours of nonsense announcements, the pilot said he couldn't find the person who had to sign the maintenance log as if he couldn't have advised him to be available during the two and a half hours.

This jerk held an entire load of a 767 hostage to put pressure on AA management for more pay, well I hope his new contract is for at least 10% less pay, their plan of finding phony issues and screwing the customer should not be rewarded with high pay, TOO MANY pilots are available to take their place.
Ddvanoo1
David Van Der Like 2
Sorry, Bunnie, but you clearly don't understand the process. That 'jerk' was protecting you! Are you aware that AA was fined $162M for maintenance discrepancies? The largest single fine in the history of aviation?! Didn't read about that, did you? Just the media hype, tendered by airline management, that the rich, 'jerk' pilots are to blame. Also, the pilots don't tell the mechanics what to do...the company does that. They aren't too happy with their treatment either, did you hear about the cutbacks? Not as many mechanics on the ground, either. But the managers are being rewarded rather handsomely. You were fortunate to get two hours of updates. I would love to go on, but I'm sure you already fell asleep. I promise not to weigh in on your issues, when the time comes, whatever those may be...in the mean time, I and my AA brethren will do what is right for our passengers.
toolguy105
toolguy105 2
This is a text book story of how a good company goes bad. I always thought the Braniff Airlines story was the text book story but this one is shaping up to take it's places.

When your tag line is "Our people make the difference", you should make sure your people are ready and able to do so.
preacher1
preacher1 2
While it may be a little different, this is not totally unlike what happened as folks went thru every other U.S. legacy carrier BR's.The main difference here is that AA is the last and I think an attitude of "it can't happen to me" had permeated the rank and file. Now it is happening. For whatever reason, had such an adversarial attitude not developed over the last few years and there been some giving done and some appreciation shown for it from management, it may not have happened. We'll never know. It is now here, and being shoved down their throats and a good dose of reality is setting in. It's nowhere near over and UGLY will be an understatement before it is.
toolguy105
toolguy105 1
The main problem at BR was that middle management thought they knew better than upper management and did not follow upper management directions fully. This has been the problem at AA as well in some major stations and departments. Something AA has failed to recognize and take action to correct. Now they are trying to get the horses back in the barn.

Other carriers started parking and replacing the fuel hogging DC-9's MD80's & 90's as well as the older B737's long before American did. The problem at American was that they have or had over 200 of these fuel hogs and no one wanted to make the call to replace them with more fuel efficient planes. Now they have 135 plus Boeing 737 and if I remember correctly and equal amount of Airbus 319 or 320 on order. It will take years to bring these into the fleet and have a more fuel efficient fleet to work with. Other carriers are at least 2 years ahead of them at this point.
hodgesranch
bobbie hodges 2
Not true! Check sick records on AA!
blake1023
blake1023 3
Anonther example of people being more loyal to the Union, than the company that gave them the job to begin with. You get fired from one airline, you get fired from all... Its a small world in aviation!!
blake1023
blake1023 3
The pilots are only hurting them selves!

http://ainonline.com/aviation-news/2012-09-20/pilot-action-disrupts-american-airlines-schedules
Doobs
Dee Lowry 2
This is the oldest maneuver in the book, to create a "Chaotic" environment, to get the managements attention. Unfortuneatly, it creates havic with other employees and most importantly the passengers. Like UAL...AA is in a "Tail Spin", as well!
sparkie624
sparkie624 2
I have seen this, and lived through that many times... It is not a good scenario, but it does happen.... I hate to say it, but this is very much a product of unions. A counter move that unions pull with Maintenance is a Safety Campaign... IE: A Slow Down... Nothing more, nothing less, just titled different. What they are doing is a safety campaign to fight the company.
Wingscrubber
Wingscrubber 1
Nooo I am supposed to be flying on American next week! :(
khaiduk
Kevin Haiduk 1
Is there a list somewhere of reduced flights?
preacher1
preacher1 1
I doubt it but if you come across one let me know. I'd be intered in seeing it. I figure any booked pax will just be notified and flights dropped off the schedule. I really doubt that anything will be made public. That's just like DAL a couple of months ago when they announced some reduced service and 1 full closure. I happend to be familiar with KFSM which they announced full closure. They are still in ther at full levels but now going into KATL rather than KMEM and it seems to be flown by Delta Connection rather than Pinnacle.
sparkie624
sparkie624 2
Actually Pinnacle is Delta Connection... Pinnacle is not flying as much out of Memphis. Most of our flying now is out of DTW, ATL, and MSP hubs.
preacher1
preacher1 1
I was curious about that. They used to show it as Pinnacle on their website and I didn't know if they just consolidated it on their website or if it was another carrier. It's easy to see that they are bleeding MEM dry. Have you heard anything yet. Last I heard you said you might have to go to MSP. If I didn't have too much time invested, I'd be talking to FedEx.
sparkie624
sparkie624 1
Supposed to have an announcement in late October.... I do not plan to move to MSP. Looking at options, but too early to say anything... What do you think about the color Purple?
preacher1
preacher1 1
Lot's of people seem to like it and it is widespread
sparkie624
sparkie624 1
To take clues well... I hope you are doing well in your endevours....
preacher1
preacher1 1
Yeah, my old company did an about face. The CEO designate bailed out. He was going to move flight ops to KXNA. His replacement lives in Ft Smith and says they will keep it there. They got rid of a C421 twin the had for short field; said if the King Air couldn't get in there, they weren't going. They bought a 5 year old CRJ 200 from somebody and it is down at Weber in Denton TX right now for mod work. Should have it in about 60 days. They want me to do a couple trips per week in it and train up a couple of young guns in the process. I will keep my retirement as is and they will just pay this on a 1099. I'll do that for a couple years then hang it up for good. I don't know who the 200 came from, broker or what, but I figured it stated from over your way. I'll have to get the number after a while and we'll see.
sparkie624
sparkie624 1
There are alot of High Timers on those 200's... If you havn't been in the 200's, I can give you some clues of things to look at from a Matint Stand Point.
preacher1
preacher1 1
I may need it as it has been awhile. I had some time in some of with Pinnacle and Eagle had a few, but that was last year before all the reserve stopped. It has been close to a year. I may get with you a little later on and get back up there and talk to our mx head, just to see how well versed he is. I don't know if that particular AC is in his repotoire or not, so I might need to get the 2 of you together.
Derg
Roland Dent 1
FGS Wayne never admit stuff like that...
preacher1
preacher1 1
Hell Roland, I'm current, just not no serious time
sparkie624
sparkie624 1
preacher1
preacher1 1
Go into discussions and click on MESSAGES and you should have an Email from me. Click on BOARD PREFERENCES while you are in there and there is 1 setting that is set to NO by default. Click it yes and then you will get an Email alert when 1 comes in
Derg
Roland Dent 1
wondered what those little boxes were that sometimes appeared..oh well..
jpc11
Jack Ciesinski 1
I can see a strike coming.
Here we go.
- I have no affiliation with American Airlines.
preacher1
preacher1 1
Well, supposedly,per the Union Contract, they have a way's to go before a formal strike, but that never seemed to stop anything serious in times past and just a few calling in sick at the right/time and place could have a domino effect on the whole systen. Sparkey says here below that they are probably nitpicking the planes apart on Maintenance and that is probably so to a degree too. Like I said, it is gonna get ugly real fast from now on and will be real interesting to see how it all shakes out. I think with the extension, that AA has until mid December now to come out of BR and this last year has just been laying groundwork and now you will start seeing things come fast.
bucanero727
leonardo muniz 1
Doobs
Dee Lowry 1
Sparky624- And I too have lived thru these scenarios..."Slow Downs". And some of them were pretty brutal! Yes, The Union is the "foundation" of these. "Slow Downs". I being an F/A would take deferred items...like a burned out "Lightbulb" and go to the cockpit and grab one and replace it myself. Dirty "Tray Tables"...well...they were out of my network..."Bluerooms" as well! I would fix the. Video, audio, seatbacks...just to get the plane off the blocks! Yaa, I was pretty good at fixing things!
All I wanted to do was to get myself home after a 3 -4-5 domestic trip and an 8 day international trip!
Enough is enough. I'm sure Management has gotten the picture...but at the cost of the passengers and employees that had to endure the cancellations, delays...anxiety! I'm sure a lot of words were said but...management has to get their act together and make the employees happy...therefore, the passengers will be happy. But, after 30 years of flying and dealing with this, like Preacher1 said, it definately is getting ugly. Thank you God you retired me when airline life was good! And everybody in the industry cared about their profession...and proud of it!
julianjim
jim garrity 1
Can't we all just get along? Funny, how glad you were to be in the big boy plane way back, now it's just about the money!
TiredTom
Tom Bruce 0
in 1981, when I was picketing as a striking ATC... American Airlines pilots walked up to us and said,
"If you don't like your jobs, QUIT!"
since then, have always enjoyed watching the pilots get theirs!
preacher1
preacher1 7
Well, the Bible says that you'll reap what you sow, and the street adage to go with that is what goes around, comes around! That said, they probably have a viable gripe to a degree, in that over the years, Senior Captains have lost about a hundred grand a year in some cases. Unions have made out the COO as wallowing in excess and developed an adversarial attitude toward management, but the truth of the matter is that Airlines nor any other transportation business can sustain itself paying pre deregulation wages at post deregulation prices. A member MUST make a decision as to whether the company or the union gave them the job and act accordingly. While there is a skill set that is developed, nobody is an island and you just got to take a look at what is available around you. If there is a better job, then go to it. If not, fly your plane.
FedExCargoPilot
FedExCargoPilot 2
If I was an airline pilot or a controller, I would be thankful to have a job. They should all get fired, there are lots in line wanting these seats! I assume you weren't a big fan of Reagan.
theschoolofchuck
Charles Collins 5
Pilots and ATC's should be thankful to have jobs doing what they do, but that doesn't mean that they should let the the suits take advantage of them.
TiredTom
Tom Bruce 2
actually, I was.... if he hadn't fired us, the treasury and postal unions were next up... read "Collision Course" good book on the development of our strike and the element that took over PATCO in the seventies... I was the local President for my area and stood up at the strike meeting in Chicago and asked
"doesn't anyone realize we'll be the first major challenge for a new President?" they answered
"won't matter if we can get 10,000 strikers..."
bucanero727
leonardo muniz -3
James 5:1 go to now,ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you. 5:4 Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fiekds, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the LORD OF SABAOTH!! JESUS CRHIST!
preacher1
preacher1 1
And the NIV really says it plain. Get after 'em
preacher1
preacher1 -1
2 & 3 go right along with it, I think
SangLe
Sang Le 0
(Duplicate Squawk Submitted)

American Cuts Capacity Amid Canceled Flights, Sick Pilots

American Airlines (AAMRQ) cut U.S. capacity by as much as 2 percent for the rest of this month and October as pilot retirements, sick calls and mechanical issues left the carrier with more cancellations than any of its U.S. competitors.

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2012-09-17/american-cuts-capacity-amid-canceled-flights-sick-pilots
njlocoman
Alan Zahn 0
I don't know about anyone else, but I think that the pilots should be paid well enough so that they can live comfortably. Think about the guy who is responsible for hundreds of lives needing to work part time to make ends meet? You should want the pilots to be well rested, alert and focused to complete the necessary tasks to fly safely. Deregulation and corporate greed have destroyed the jobs in the airline industry. CEO's make obscene paychecks, and meanwhile, the backbone of the company gets stepped on each time the contracts expire.

I was a military pilot, and I had aspirations to be an airline pilot, but I chose a different field in the transportation industry. After reading Chesley Sullenberger's book, Highest Duty, I was amazed how badly the airlines have treated the pilots. Most paid into pension funds for many years that were mismanaged and went bankrupt. The guy that is in the front of the plane is flying for peanuts... and maybe moonlighting stocking shelves at WalMart all night. I don't think that's really smart, but it's only money, and when a plane smacks the ground a little hard (or a lot hard), it's only insurance that pays for the carnage! The CEO's don't lose a dime!

God Bless the airline pilots. Thank you for doing what you do. I think we should all pass a hat for a "tip" for the pilots on each trip!
Ddvanoo1
David Van Der Like 1
I'm glad you get it, Alan, I wish there were more like you.
preacher1
preacher1 0
David, you are not really by yourself out there. As Alan said, he went another route. I did too, landing a big iron 135 job, starting on a 707, onto a 757 for 25+, and after I retired, I was allowed to make the 767 transition, basically hanging it up in 09. I still have a lot of friends out there, a bunch with AA and we may even know each other, and still do some fill in from time to time. All that said, I remember that big pay cut ya'll took. If memory serves correct, some of the other groups took it as well. Like you, what I don't remember is any appreciation that was shown by management other than "you oughta be damn proud you got a job". This had to be the beginning of the adverarial attitude that has developed into today. Sad part of it is, is that ya'll are caught in a crossfire. AA is in BR and has spent all this last year laying groundwork and now with the blessing of the court, probably what ya'll turned down, they will shove down your throat and you will either wind up having to take it like a dose of bad medicine or do something else. There doesn't appear to be a good way out of this thing.You guys have my sympathy and support as well as prayers that some middle ground will be found.

Ddvanoo1
David Van Der Like 1
Thanks...my only mission now is to try to convert the naysayers that are totally out of the loop and school them on the facts. It's not the pilots that are the problem here.

Вход

Нет учетной записи? Зарегистрируйтесь сейчас (бесплатно) и получите доступ к конфигурируемым функциям, уведомлениям о статусе рейсов и другим возможностям!
Вы знаете, что реклама помогает FlightAware в отслеживании рейсов?
Вы можете внести свой вклад в бесплатную работу FlightAware, разрешив показ рекламы на FlightAware.com. Мы следим за тем, чтобы наша реклама была полезна и не мешала работе с сайтом. Вы можете быстро включить рекламу на FlightAware или приобрести привилегированное членство.
Отменить