Originally Posted by
3662forlife
Nothing could be further from the truth. I don’t know who you’ve been talking to or being spoon fed by but the CPA and FFD part of RAH has slowly seen their margins decline to negative. Have you read the information the Company put out about the maintenance cost and the inability of our CPA’s to keep maintenance cost below that which the CPA allows?
You think if oil goes above $100 a barrel that there will be ANY ≤ 50 seaters flying in America?
As far as your extensive experience, you’ve GTBSM! Six loooong years in the industry and 2 whole “airlines” and you’re an expert in representing and demanding the decline of the Aviation industry over the past 30 (or more) years reverse itself? With our little contract, our little airplanes and our low-time, entitled pilots?
One day you’ll look back and see how embarrassing your statement is.
You have absolutely NO clue as to the history of your chosen profession or what constituted “paying your dues!”
I have many friends that have worked for a dozen airlines over a 30 year profession (still flying) and have tens of thousands of hours, some of which may actually end up junior to you one day..
They flew big airplanes with all those little dials and gauges around the world before you were born and before there was one TV screen to stare at the entire flight.
The “good old days” are gone, forever. Like when you sat sideways for 10 years and right seat for another 10 years before you were even close to the left seat. And you're stressed and feel treated unfairly with your whole 6 years.
Go on and enjoy the next 10, 20 30 or 40 years. You’ll go through several airlines, “get screwed by management” and by whatever unions you end up belonging to.
Where to start...
The margins are dragged down by the Chq/Republic birds flying Frontier as the books are being manipulated to show low costs to Frontier and high costs to FFD (makes F9 look better to help try to sell it). The majority FFD flying is 70+ seat which are making quite a bit of money. This assertion that it is the highest profit magin in the airline world came out of the last union update.
As for not having a clue as to the history of my career, wrong buddy. I know all about the Gordon Bethunes, Frank Lorenzos, Juan Trippes, Howard Hughes, etc of this industry. I appriciate your ingnorant remark that my 6 years in the industry doesn't allow me the ability to say that I will not be a part of voting in a contract that continues the demise of my career. Obviously your vast unspecified experience that makes you so wise means that you have been doing this a while and have been part of making this a horrible career...thanks! To state that the "good old days" are gone forever, it may not be 727's and white hatted Clipper Capts flying around, but I want to reverse the way things are going and get back to some semblance of a career. As for paying my dues, the years of 10 years sitting as a FE, 10 as an FO, etc in your example....well, there is a difference. Those 20 years of paying your dues were spent at an airline that treated you well and payed you a livable wage. Now it is spend 2-3 (now 6-7) years as a welfare child (regional FO), then upgrade, get some time and get on with a real airline....so yes, I feel that I have paid a few dues. I'd take 10 years as an FE anyday if it meant getting paid enough to raise a family on.
Anyway, I'll stick by my statement...I will not vote for a contract that will continue the regression of being a pilot. I will only vote for a contract that does take a step in taking it back....if that makes me a fool, call me a fool. Someone has to start the movement, and this pilot group is poised, ****ed, and ready to start taking it back from management.