To Hell and Back on a Turboprop

Re: Big and Small

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Beleve it or not there are thousands of people fly the airlines each day who actually do like the service the get.

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hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah,heeeeeeeheeeeehheeeeee,hooooooohoooooohhooooooo,haaaaaahaaaaahahahahahahahahahahah.

Yea...well good luck with that.
 
Re: Big and Small

You'd be surprised how many compliments we get everyday. If you want to believe all the newspapers and media that fine.
 
Re: Big and Small

I was never dissapointed with Jetblue. They provide great service for cheap. LCCs are great
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Re: Big and Small

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You'd be surprised how many compliments we get everyday.

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You know I'm just pulling your chain.
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I didn't say every passenger was unhappy. I know for me, airlining to work is the worst part of the job, and I'm on a paid ticket (not non-rev).

Here's some of the past UAL history for those getting to the party late:

"Oran, however, noted that not only had UAL already allocated more than $250 million to the company in May, but “only a small portion” of that money has been spent. And he further noted that Avolar is currently seeking equity position financial investors in an effort to “relieve some of the UAL cash burden.” He also pointed out that with the airlines losing passengers to business aviation, that it only made sense to create a fractional-ownership program to fill the needs of those travelers."
AIN-11/2001

"Little more than a week after halting efforts to find outside investors for a majority share in its Avolar business aviation venture, United Airlines parent UAL Corp. pulled the plug entirely on March 22 and announced it is closing down the Chicago-based subsidiary."
AIN 4/2002


"Competitors agreed. Before UAL decided to close Avolar, a spokesman for Executive Jet noted that its NetJets fractional program had taken eight years to turn a profit. “We have invested billions of dollars and bought thousands of aircraft [and] for anybody to try and copy what we have done would require a huge investment,” he said. “Fifty-seven companies have tried and 51 have fallen by the wayside. It’s a very expensive proposition.” Make that 52 now–by Executive Jet’s count."
AIN 4/2002
 
Re: Big and Small

What comic strip was it that said, "We have met the enemy, and he is us." We are our own worst enemies when it comes to stuff like this. For everybody who does what I did, which is take the time to write an intelligent-sounding, non-insulting, reasoned rebuttal to the original piece, we have a handful of others (note to aspiring aviators: the idiotic comments Andy had such fun with probably came from those pilots who didn't think college was very important ... food for thought) who dig out intelligent responses like "you dumbass". And we wonder why the traveling public doesn't think we're worth a reasonable wage.

I swear, if I ever become a pilot recruiter, I am going to require an expository writing sample from all pilot applicants.

And NJA, I'll second Kingairer's comments. I can't speak for other places, but where he and I work, most of us actually go out of the way to provide the best possible service on every flight. I, too, have gotten many positive comments from my passengers. It's one of the things that makes the job more enjoyable ...
 
Re: Big and Small

Response on the issue from an ATL Delta MD-80 pilot I know (not our Dougie
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., another ATL MD pilot..)

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Actually, I can sympathize with both the writer and the airline employees.

I've never been to gate 61 at Denver. However, I've seen gate 5A at LGA, gates 11 and 18 at JFK, and the entire C concourse at CVG. I'm sure there are similar gates at dozens of airports throughout the country. And you know what......they are hell on earth. They're overcrowded and have too few agents operating multiple flights. The schedules are often running way behind by the early afternoon because they need to schedule the turn times too tightly. But the fact is that there is no pricing power at all in the industry. We are giving the tickets away, and the service will reflect that. Passengers can buy their ticket on line now, and their one and only concern is the price of the ticket. They don't know what plane they are on and don't care what airline they are flying other than the fact that they will need to know which termianl to show up at.

The airlines will continue to farm as much flying as they can to cheaper connection carriers. Furthermore, they will choose the cheapest regional carriers they can find....and they don't get any cheaper than Mesa. And all this is perfectly fine....it's capatalism in action. Right up until the point that the passenger who pays $99 for his ticket wants to know why they aren't getting any food. A while back, American announced with great fanfare that they were removing seats from their planes to increase legroom. Well, they are quietly putting those seats back because no matter how much people complain about legroom, nobody is willing to pay for it. AA becomes another in a long line of airlines to try to get people to pay for comfort....it doesn't work. I must stress again that I have no problem with people looking for bargains. I like to go to McDonalds from time to time and the $3.99 value meal goes easy on the wallet. But when I pay $3.99 for my meal, I don't have the gall to complain that I have to stand in line to order and then demand that I get linen napkins instead of paper.

While I don't think that the crews "hate" their passengers as the author implies, I will confess that they likely have little patience for complaints. We hear from passengers that we make too much money. Well, I just took a 50% cut in pay and benefits right in time for Christmas. The majority of my fellow employees in the industry have taken similar cuts....or worse. The flying public has demonstrated that they are willing to pay for safe travel from point A to point B....no more and no less. With that in mind, I solemnly pledge that I will continue to prepare for the flight in a professional manner, take all my training seriously, and safely transport you from point A to point B. I will even do it with a smile. But don't expect a lot of sympathy when you tell me you want recliners at gate 61.

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Re: Big and Small

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I swear, if I ever become a pilot recruiter, I am going to require an expository writing sample from all pilot applicants.

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Now Russ you no you cant judge no smartiness on college and skoolin my uncle didnt go to know college and he owns 2 gun stores so just because somebody dont write well or isnt to book smart dont mean he shuldnt fly airplanes.

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Re: Big and Small

edit: article aleady on page 2 of this thread
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seems ol Mr. Stone thinks he suddenly knows the airline industry like the back of his hand now.
 
Much Better

Put down the mashed potatoes

If I don't like Gate 61 and if I don't like flying on the Dash-8s, the problem is not the pilots. And the problem is not the planes.

If things are rotten in the airline industry, the problem is the airlines - or, more to the point, the handsomely paid (OK, overpaid) executives who seem determined to run the once-proud airline industry into the ground - screwing their passengers and their employees on the way down ... while they, of course, land ever so gently, thanks to those golden parachutes.

Much better.
 
Re: Much Better

I have to agree.. i'm pretty pleased with this turn of article...maybe some ppl will read it and learn something new today eh!?
 
Re: Much Better

I like that he actually used the $18K figure. That will really help counter the overpaid pilots perception.

And I liked that he said, look, don't blame the pilots or the employees, blame the management that's shafting both the pax and the employees.
 
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