Originally Posted by
kronan
Yep, no chance my observations are accurate.
According to BLS, most recent official data I could find, there are 104k airline pilots in the Industry. According to APC, there are 38k pilots working in my small sample. Facebook friends w/a plethora of SWA guys, but I rarely get the opportunity to chat face to face...still, doubt there are a collection of Capt is God guys working there. Over past few years, have interacted with another plethora of RJ Capts-all of whom I'd be happy to fly with and think are a credit to The Industry. Even perusing APC, just not a huge prevalence of Capt horror stories.
Shoot, if I was hitting 340 I'd be making the huge bucks in the Majors, so thinking my small sample is sufficient for a decent opinion. Let alone an Internet Opinion
So, when you blame The Industry, just not sure where you're coming from. Are you blaming the US Industry? Are you blaming small segments of The Industry, which First Air is a part of? Are you blaming the hierarchal culture prevalent in Some parts of the world?
As far as I know, US based Air Carriers constitute about 6% of the world's total.
"Industry" means different things to different people. There are hundreds of ways to classify producers of goods and services of an economy, each sponsored by different organizations using different approaches and methods. To me, "Industry" in the context used here means the Air Transportation Industry. It encompasses everyone worldwide who produces goods or services consumed in the transportation of people or goods by air, or in any other use of aircraft to provide a service.
I'm pointing a finger at the top officials and decisionmakers who control this industry, directly or indirectly.
All Air Carriers combined are a (relatively) small segment of the Air Transportation Industry. First Air is the largest and dominant Air Carrier serving Canada's North, an area larger than the US Lower 48.