Originally Posted by Making Sense

My Dearest Jimmy8,

I must confess, watching you drift about in your self-constructed bubble of ignorance regarding the most elementary principles of accounting is rather disturbing. Perhaps, dear friend, it's time to crack open a tome or two on financial wisdom?

Let me illuminate matters as simply as possible. When one speaks of a $100+ million debt (our bonus, as it were) in the accounting ledgers, it is accompanied by an equal sum in cash (or other assets) on the other side of the ledger. Upon payment, both vanish simultaneously. It’s called double-entry bookkeeping.

Any prudent company owner - much like a shrewd tech entrepreneur managing their startup's funding - would prefer to maintain this interest-free debt while their cash generates interest income or can be used operationally. It's really quite elementary, dear Jimmy. Why pass up the opportunity to hold $100 million in cost-free borrowed money, which you could invest in Treasury Bills to effortlessly earn $4 million annually? You wouldn’t pass up either, Jimmy.

When you struggle to grasp such a fundamental concept, what credibility do your claims have about suboptimal ticket pricing and missed revenue opportunities? Making unfounded assertions doesn't advance our discussion.

Our revenue team has demonstrated expertise that would impress even the Goblin bankers, while your arguments seem to rely on little more than lower-middle management intuition. And as Professor McGonagall would say, when one lacks understanding of fundamental principles, gut feelings are about as reliable as a chocolate teapot.

Regarding the contract negotiations of summer 2023 - oh yes, the union leadership then made our current lot look like the Wizengamot in comparison. Yet our pilot group as a whole, displaying all the strategic acumen of a confused troll, not only supported, but even re-elected AR with abilities that would make even Crabbe and Goyle look competent.

We find ourselves precisely where our choices have led us, we deserve to be where we are.

Progress now demands that we face reality with high clarity and open eyes and expel both GU and the NC from their positions. We require neither middle-management mindsets nor novice negotiators. The situation calls for a seasoned negotiator (not a pilot) who has experience managing major leverage points and can skillfully deploy them when necessary

But most crucially, we must dispel this ridiculous notion that management is our Voldemort. The truth, my dear Jimmy, is that we have met the enemy, and it is us - as plainly visible as a Thestral to those who've seen the truth.

WE ARE THE PROBLEM, Jimmy.

Regards,

A Concerned Colleague