Originally Posted by
scambo1
FTB;
This post boils down the issue perfectly. While I love the bumper sticker idea, I am not commenting on that. The issue is: Delta, assisted by DALPA, has outsourced half of its flying...To the lowest bidder.
The logical conclusion says that a 400 hour GoJets newhire is a suitable substitute for a 3 war combat pilot (or a 12000 hr regional captain DAL newhire) where DAL passenger safety is concerned.
As I said in another thread, Delta Air lines is in the ticket selling business...DALPAs core business is providing safe air travel. DALPA has allowed their core business to be outsourced.
I realize this is simplistic, but it really is the crux of the issue.
It is not quite as bad as in the right stuff where the astronauts were perplexed that NASA was going to send a monkey to do a man's work. Or was it send a man to do a monkey's work. Anyway, they unionized...Damn starvoyagers.
I agree too much of our flying is outsourced. We need to find a way to bring as much of it back on our list as possible.
As for the 3-war pilot stuff v. the 400 hour Go-jets angle. I wouldn't paint with too large a brush, many of the pilots at regional carriers are highly experienced, including combat time. I'm sure the company would have little difficulty trotting out a few guys at DCI with air medals.
In case nobody has noticed, there hasn't been a great deal of hiring at the mainline carriers these last 10 years. So if the only game in town was getting hired at a regional, then that's where some of these pilots ended up.
We can justifiably be proud of the experience level, professionalism and history of our pilot group, that should be brought to the public's attention, but I'm not sure we elevate ourselves by denigrating others. Let's keep the focus on what we bring to the table, experience, professionalism and a proud history. Didn't British Airways have an add that did that?