Because corporate gossip is always factual.
And since this is on the Internet that must make it true.
There was in fact one single incident, which I do regret, but it did not involve a photograph. It did involve a conversation with the then CP but it wasn't until 3 other FO's wrote letters complaining about this individual that action was taken against him.
This incident happen about 4 years ago now. I was very frustrated with flying with this individual. I was frustrated of being on reserve for going on two years straight with a crumbling marriage at home. I was frustrated with hearing of others just one month senior to me never spending more than a month of reserve.
[I
]This surprised me. After all the grief , worry and fighting you went through to make it to the airlines, it only took two sh!tty years on reserve for you to say this. I wonder if back in '07 you would have believed that just two years later you would feel this way.
Congrats on your story though I hope it becomes what you initially thought you were fighting for.[/I]
I was missing my son growing up and I was constantly flying with an individual who tested my skills and patience.
I vented, regretfully, on Facebook with the comment "I'm glad I kept my CFI current because I needed it today, unfortunately my student was my captain. ". No names were mentioned. However, someone did the homework and quickly knew who I was talking about. They made an anonymous call on the company safety hotline refusing the next trip with this individual citing my Facebook comment as the reason, on an answering machine no less.
Naturally the union PSC called me and told me it wasn't professional. I couldn't argue with that. They also told me they were aware of the individual already and were trying to work with him.
As stated earlier, I do in fact have a type A personality. I was very vocal about this individual. So naturally when the action was taken against this individual, I was clearly the culprit since I was the most vocal. Nevermind three other people actually put it in writing to the CP.
This individual did have his day in court/arbitration. Myself and the 3 other FO's were there to testify. I never took the stand as my statement and story weren't nearly as dramatic as the other 3 stories.
The photograph in the cockpit stories began snowballing from there in a childish game of "I saw Ferris get sick at 31 flavors night".