Originally Posted by
irrelevant
They certainly didn't do an admirable job of keeping the wheels on the bus back in June.
I have higher expectations of management of a supposedly stand-alone company than you do. This is probably due in part to my disdain for the way the industry is structured, with legacy carriers utilizing contractors and subsidiaries to avoid paying wage levels they otherwise would if they performed the services "in-house". Meanwhile the legacy carrier still effectively exercises "operational control", and portrays the service level as equal to the legacy brand...until something goes wrong...then it's the subsidiary's fault.
I'd probably be more willing to accept the above, if someone would step up and accept responsibility and accountability. That doesn't happen though with PSA. It's always "outside our control"...which leads to the rational question - "If it's outside our control, how does anything anyone does matter?"
I applaud you for being able to better accept the reality of the situation. You're probably even able to wear the American Airlines lanyard to hold your badge on...despite the fact that our pay comes not from AA, but from PSA.
I struggle with the "pay no attention to the man behind the curtain" operating philosophy. You can consider it a character flaw.
Right on point sir, very well said. I have always felt this, but could never quite put it to word's as you just have. This also run's along the line that there is no pilot shortage(yet/maybe). They have essentially just split the labor force with premium paid pilots being 2/3, while the out sourced labor being the other 3rd and growing(pilots just keep showing up), all the while protecting brand Identity. This all gaining momentum over the past 30 plus years, under the dues collecting watchful eyes of labor unions in concert with their mainline carriers. Essentially, they have outsourced their labor management, and you foot the bill to be held down and in line until you are able to move on.
Regional airlines, of the past were true stand alone identities, that flew their own paint, and operated equipment like Shorts, Foker, Jet streams, and saab, on much shorter routes and sold there services and loads to the big boys or were just content flying non competitive small city pairs and routes that weren't serviced by legacy carriers. Yes the pay was low, but they were flying 19 to 30 pax as opposed to 50 to 76 pax on smaller equipment and generated less revenue for thier market segement. Which in todays money is essentially the same pay for moving more pax to control a market for mainline. These companies had names like ComAir, Wright, Brit, Chicago express, Empire, and Allegany to name a few. They were accountable to their respective stake holders, and employees, and weren't wholly owned subsidiaries to some larger entity.
When it comes to accountability, non of the previously mentioned regional carriers would have survived a melt down like we just did. If they did someone surely would have been let go.
2 pennies