Originally Posted by
smoothatFL410
Please.
Isn't it easy to anonymously throw stones.
American and Southwest have been fined several million dollars for their maintenance practices in the past. I think Southwest holds the record for FAA fines. Allegiant just went through the ringer earlier than scheduled by the FAA, LOOKING for a reason to hang them, and came out fairly clean with only VERY MINOR discrepancies noted, which were immediately corrected internally and to the respective employee groups to fix. This is why the FAA exists. To correct the behavior when a company starts cutting corners.
I'm fairly new to the company and also never flew the -80, but in my experience on the line, Allegiant's mx has been top notch. Unlike other airlines I have worked for, not a single pilot or mechanic, mx control or anyone else has even insinuated on carrying a write-up or doing anything illegit. Any discrepancy has been written up and taken care of immediately and appropriately, and legally. It is unfair to say that the airline continues to be unsafe based on its past or what airline executives previously worked at. If that is the case, you should never step foot on a Southwest or an American airlines plane either then, because they have received more repercussions from the FAA than G4 has, and many G4 execs have moved onto other airlines such as United.
Welcome aboard! Hopefully you will see desperately needed improvements and won't witness much of what has transpired in the past. 100+ 'unscheduled' engine inflight shutdowns, flight control failures, countless smoke/cabin depressurization incidents, etc. All byproducts of a 'cost-first' mentality. Spend some time perusing this thread, better yet, do your own web search. All I can say is thank God for the great pilots at the controls when all these events happened. Hopefully G4's amazing lucky streak will continue.
I wouldn't rely on the reputation of same defunct government institution that stood by and allowed ValuJet to operate despite glaring warning signs. MG continued his neglectful practices because there was no immediate financial reason not to. Except a crash. In typical FEMA fashion, the FAA stepped in after it was too late. The only lesson learned was that the government was inept and would not get in the way of profits. That mindset continues to this day at G4.
To be fair, as you stated, the FAA stepped in because the company was cutting corners. Unfortunately, as in the past, ample political ties and influence, driven by financial incentives has ensured their hands were tied. (
http://www.kolotv.com/home/headlines...121814684.html). Happens everywhere, all industries, every day, but this industry is less forgiving when things go wrong. Any airline, including a major or legacy, can suffer a tragic mishap. Unlike them, G4 will not survive. We had a close call during the Lake Charles incident but again, we were lucky. Because of it, and a stern warning from DOT Secretary Ray LaHood, the focus shifted towards safety and reliability. That was short-lived.
It's imperative we don't look the other way, apologize or make excuses for management's inept and cheap approach to everything. Historically it's been pilots that forced bean-counters to step up in this business. We must continue to do the same. Pay what it costs to hire and keep the talent needed to maintain, supervise and safely operate an airline as the alternative tends to bring disastrous consequences. I agree with others that the rhetoric has gone silent since the contract was signed. It's not about throwing stones, it's about professionals demanding better oversight thereby ensuring the safety of the flying public and the survival of a company currently being run via spread sheets.