OSHA will have her job back within 90 days.

 

Isn't she only suspended 3 weeks?

 

Only an opinion but I think that she was not escorted out/fired/whatever because of refusing the aircraft, any pilot has that right. She was escorted out for the PAs she made both in the aircraft and in the terminal. No company would stand by and allow an employee to do that sort of thing in public.

 

I quit, but not like you might quit a normal airline (or company, for that matter). You see, if you gave them notice, they would just stop paying you.

So, I got a job in Iraq and worked there, and was successful in getting a final pay check from Arik. I didn't like the job in Iraq (hopefully, that doesn't need a lot of commentary, but it did pay a lot).

The A330 was repo'd, and the two A340's are operated by a contract airline, HiFly of Portugal. No chance to go there. We did fly everything except New York with the Boeing / Bombardier fleet, so not just domestic. The furthest I flew was Dakar, Senegal, and we sent the CRJ to Germany for maintenance. B737 did London and Jo-burg, in addition to domestic / west africa regional.

They had a shortage of FO's on the Boeing 737, so I volunteered to go to that airplane, even offering to pay for the type rating. Denied (no real seniority system).

They kept hiring new captains off the street above me, leaving no place to grow to, at an airline that will likely fail soon:

-A330 - Repossesed in JNB due to failed lease agreement
-2 B737 Classics -In Storage (Norge/UK)
-1of2 Q400's - In Storage (Maastricht) Maintenance Fees unpaid
-2of2 Q400's - AOG (Lagos) due to non payment of SAMCO/GEN mx
-1 737NG - AOG (Enugu) Engine MX, A/C currently being scrapped by LH
-1 737NG - AOG (Dakar) Unpaid Senegalese Auth. Fees
-1 of 2 HS125 - Out of Country undetermined period

 

Where are these supposed comments, PAs, etc.? I have not seen anything of substance on this...........

 

How is OSHA involved in this???

 

My opinion is that she had a DUTY to do exactly what she did. The FAR's mandate that any PIC has a DUTY to report and make authorities aware of any issues of safety. Telling the passengers on and off the airplane EXACTLY what happened is the best way to have handled it. It's my experience that passengers can handle most anything if they're told the truth. Even if it's ugly or embarrassing - tell the truth. She did that. She was right every step of the way IMO. USAirways stands no chance in hurting her in any way. Her time off will be at the very least a paid vacation. And possibly, a very nice payout indeed.

Carl

 

That is a Delta requirement not a MEL requirement. Delta feels that the APU is safety backup system. If the jet is in the US and it can be worked on then they want it fixed before it goes across the pond. They allow one flight home from overseas if it is inop per the MEL. USAIR does not have the same APU requirement and can dispatch without it on 120 minute ETOPS flights.

 

If it is legal, it must be safe.

The mantra of airline senior management.

 

Thanks for feeding my curiosity. Hope all is well.