Mechanics have been, and continue to be, outsourced too.
While the NTSB isn't as hot about it, there certainly are accidents where people have died b/c of shoddy MX. The most recent glaring example I can think of is Air Midwest 5481 in 2003 (though I'm sure there are others). US Airways outsourced the MX to Mesa, who again outsourced it!
I'd include dispatchers in the equation too. Next time you jumpseat on a regional and the crew has a minute, ask them about the release: min fuel, poor alternate choices, messed up routing - this is not uncommon @ many regionals, and it's due to the lack of experience @ the dispatch desk, just as less experienced pilots make some poor choices.
I'm not trying to exclude other groups, such as flight attendants, rampers, or customer service agents, but I've yet to see any data that safety is compromised due to the outsourcing in these jobs (though customer satisfaction certainly is). Pilots and mechanics, on the other hand, both have a direct correlation b/t experience and safety, maybe dispatch too.
So, if you're going to have a fee tacked on for safety, I'd like it to go to both pilots and mechanics, even if this ends up taking $ out of my pocket. Safety is more important, and experienced mechanics are worth it - maybe dispatchers too, though I'd need more discussion on that one to get behind it with my $.
Am I the only one who feels this way?
