benzoate

Jetblue is a business first and foremost. Management at Jetblue is not your friend. Jetblue pilots need to learn this fact. Because management has controlled the message the truth has been shrouded in spin. From pay and benefits to safety or ASAP. This isn't to say Jetblue is a bad job but that its just that, a job. Culture is a term jetblue spins and spins to justify its altered message and, in the end, lies and deceit.
Whether pilots like the new union or not they will finally hear the truth. Much of it will be eye opening.

Kellwolf

And I agree, to a point. When it comes to things like jumpseats, is this customer going or not and other things where CA used to have "final authority," I agree that a lot of it has been eroded. However, what we're talking about is weeding out the guys that are gonna be jerks once they get on the line. For most of the things FAs deal with, the CA is there to back them up. I have no clue how to evacuate my airplane, so "exercising my command authority" in that situation is only gonna screw things up. The best thing to do is let the FAs do their jobs and ask "How can I help?" A CA that DOESN'T see his FAs as equals (or at least part of the team) is gonna have a difficult time with taking direction from them.

I guess the way I look at it is the CA has the final say so on 99% of the stuff, but the rest of the crew's input has to be valued equally. "Because I'm the CA and I say so" went out with Pan AM. Works great at the Asian airlines, I guess.....

EMB4Ever

For those so offended by FAs interviewing pilots: Can you honestly sit there and tell me, if given the opportunity, you wouldn't want to interview your future boss? The Captain is the day in, day out manager (boss) of inflight. I know I would be much happier if I had a say in the people hired in the CPO or upper management.

If they are hiring for "culture," it makes sense. That being said, the culture is bull and they can keep it.

benzoate

Obviously you haven't seen flight attendant training or captain authority at Jetblue.

During initial training flight attendants are directed to stay clear of pilots while the topic of captain authority is NEVER discussed.

skypilot35

Look, Im sure the FAs sitting in on the interview are great people and as you stated HR is in the mix for many organizations (not the one I currently work for). I am "upset" about it (some will get this and others will not) because the command authority of the pilot is constantly being diminished by actions like this. On numerous occasions I have seen / heard gate agents attempt to contradict Captains. I have heard station managers make statements that pilots are "nothing but glorified bus drivers". FAs telling a Captain he couldn't put a bag (his bag) in the flight deck. It goes on and on. Where do they get the idea that the Captain is obligated to follow their "orders"? From programs like the one instituted at JetBlue.

JetBlue is a great company. The pilots I have met have all been awesome guys / gals. I do believe however that the tactics used by management in the hiring process are specifically designed to reduce the prestige associated with the position. It's aimed at developing a culture that says, "All you workers are equals"...we're not. Whether you like the double breasted blazer (Delta) or not the authority of the Captain is absolute and before anyone throws out the CRM argument, the majority of those pilots run a great crew.

skypilot35

I agree with you 100%, but another pilot, specifically a line captain, sitting in on the interview will be able to make the determination of whether or not the applicant is a jerk. "Do I want to spend 4 days in a cockpit with this guy?" has always been the litmus test.

EMB4Ever

Oh, I have seen, and like I said, the "culture" is bull (both the culture they try to sell people on and the culture they practice.)

rightside02

If the FA's had to do what we did to get to this point I would respect their position much more. I know personally many of them are great people etc, how ever not for one second do I forget that many of them came from Starbuck type jobs. Not ten plus years of training and being in the business . They have much less riding on this career then we do. They can make this same money doing many other easy jobs.

I have heard many stories of how the FA's have done their hiring arguing that one was cute and looked hot in his suite etc, don't know this to be true but if it is , than it's a joke and not getting any respect from me . I ll play the game be nice do my job and be professional and go home. Not for a second do I think we are on the same skill level. They chose a different path, plain and simple .

My 2
Cents

With regards to the topic I have met a few who I would feel could conduct a interview and do a fantastic job finding the right pilot candidate , that being said this is a very very very small percentage of those I could trust to do this.

mulcher

Do the pilots get to do FA interviews? If not, then I agree. My idea of an FA is vastly different then most airlines are hiring nowadays.

rvr1800

Is that really how you think the word process is spelled??