winglet

Airline Pilots,

As you all well know the airline industry has endured some dramatic changes in the last couple of decades. Deregulation changed all the rules but unfortunately we are all still using terminology from a bygone era.

I beleive that using this outdated terminology is detrimental to our profession and has led to many unnecessary and futile arguments. The continued use of outdated terminology only serves to hinder any meaningful communication. When parties to an argument use archaic language it only delays or terminates the resolution of issues.

At the same time many of us use outdated language intentionally to suit our purposes. I am referring especially to our managements and the media but also individual pilot groups as well. Let us take command of our language and rescue it from those who would use it to undermine our profession. I propose a thorough revision of the "Airline Industry Dictionary".

My hope is that we will discard the meaningless words and introduce new words that have better descriptions so that we may all communicate more effectively. If we educate the media and our collective pilot groups I believe that we will begin to see positive change in the profession.

I will begin by submitting some proposed new terminology and am open to suggestions:

"Legacy Airline": Use only in reference to airlines that were in operation prior to 1978. This would help differentiate between what we had and what exists today.

"Low Cost Carrier": Change to "Low Quality Carrier" or "Discount Carrier" or "Shoe-String Carrier". (Let's call it what it is).

"Mainline or Major Airline": Discard and use "Wholly Owned Certificate" or "Primary Contractor" Airline. (This would shed light on the outsourcing and whipsaw).

"Regional": Discard and use "Sub-Contracted" or "Outsourced Airline" or "Whip-saw" Airline. (Stop the Whipsaw).

"Alter-Ego Pilots": Since there are few picket lines due to the undermining of the RLA, label the alter-ego pilots "Alter-Ego Pilots" or use a nickname: "Boils, Rashes, Pus, Sepsis, etc." This will alert new-hires to the true nature of the airline they are applying to.

"Stepping Stone": Discard (see Regional).

"Wholly-Owned Regional": Discard "Regional" and use "Outsourced Wholly-Owned Certificate" Airline or "Wholly Owned Whipsaw Airline". Stop the Whipsaw.

You get the picture. Remember these are merely suggestions. My aim is to reverse the growing divide between the pilot groups. Management is controlling us through selective language it provides to government and the media. Please offer some constructive suggestions. Stop being a victim of language abuse and join me in my effort to take back the airline industry dictionary.

Sincerely,

winglet

JoeMerchant

We could just use 3 terms...

1. Airplane
2. Airline pilot
3. Airline

That would cover everything and make things much simpler....

tsquare

Discard the term "Regional" from the name Regional Jet. Unless of course you consider North America and Central America one "region".

berkut17

Winglet, Your kidding righ? "shoe string carrier" You started this thread to make a joke correct?

cal73

The new black tacos from taco bell are actually pretty tasty.

That is all.

__________________
Bankruptcy = Airline management speak for union contract abrogation

deltabound

FART

(Furloughs Are Really Terrible).


Offensive? Well, so are furloughs.

Seriously, are we really going to get all Orwellian now? Change a name, problem solved? How very politico of us!

winglet

No, and I'm joking serious!

winglet

winglet

deltabound!

I'm impressed! Very astute of you! Be careful of your crimethink.

The change over to Newspeak was accomplished by your government and airline managements over twenty years ago. By introducing the terms "regional" airlines and "regional" jets, and separating wholly owned primary contract airline pilots from outsourced airline pilots, the holding companies have been thus far successful in their effort to divide and conquer.

By continuing the "stepping-stone" myths and outsourcing flying, the holding companies have fooled the pilot population into squabbling over the scraps of their shell game. They have the airline pilots focused on fighting amongst themselves while the growing outsourced airlines are rapidly replacing the shrinking wholly owned primary contract airlines.

I think that it's time to revive Oldspeak. Let's bring back some Oldspeak words like Scope, Pension, etc. before we forget their meaning. Let's reveal what is happening through proper language.

Stop using airline management language and develop your own. Let's focus on the goal of creating career airline pilot jobs.

winglet