Originally Posted by
acl65pilot
Of course, but society also expects you not to care how they look or act, but are more than willing to hold you and your organization to a higher standard. They vote with their dollars.
I recently gave one of those pilot presentations, to a huge group of kids and their parents. I can tell you that at least 40 parents came up to me and told me how much they loved DAL's uniform and how "cool" it was. Keep in mind I live near an airline town, and this is nothing out of the ordinary. As luck would have it, none of these parents were airline employees, but the fact still remains, the uniform garners respect and on some level awe.
AS with many of you, I do not have an opinion on the hat. I have a huge head, and the hat makes me look like a mushroom, but I wear it because I know what effect our uniform projects to the traveling public. Am I disgusted that we outsource over 50% of our flying to airlines that do not care? Of course I am, but I also am a believer that two wrongs do not make a right.
Well said. Along the same lines, some people here have claimed that the hat is a "symbol" of Delta management "holding us down" and they don't wear it (Or don't want to) because if Delta management really wanted an image out there they wouldn't be outsourcing to X number of companies who all look different.
Really guys? You're going there? I mean, absolutely outsourcing sucks, it dilutes our image and is bad for our Pilot group. No doubt. But to go that far and to say that the hat is a just another way for management to "hold us down" and prove the mind control they have over us is a bit ridiculous and actually quite comical.
Fact of the matter is this. The hat is policy. I don't look at it as a symbol of anything other than it being a required part of our Uniform. It looks silly when I see a crew walking down the terminal, one with his hat tucked in his bag and the other guy wearing it. Why even bring the hat? When I see those guys all I can think of is those types of people that talk a good game, but as soon as they are by a Chief Pilot, hat comes on right away. If that wasn't the case, then just leave the hat at home!
It's called a uniform for a reason. Uniformity. You can try to spin it any way you want and try to use the hat as a symbol of whatever, but you could also make that argument for ANY part of the uniform. I hate wearing ties, guess I'm just going to start leaving my tie at home. Better yet, I'm going to start wearing black sweats since they are a lot more comfortable. See where this is going?
The hat is not a symbol of anything! Just part of the uniform.
Oh, and I don't like the hat. Just wear it because Delta tells me to. Simple as that.