$96 dollar tickets are part of the reason why this industry is in so much financial trouble. The argument willl be made that the next guy will take the pax if you don't offer fares that low. However, if your cost is inflated by fuel you hurt yourself more to spend the money to operate the flight at a loss than if you didn't operate it at all.

 

the problem is that owning an airline is like this feather in your cap type of industry. The second the airlines get reasonable and are saying to each other, well i guess we can leave our masochistic style of business and make a dime here or there some wunderkid or cutthroat operation opens up shop and bang! Back to square one. I mean look at Go! operation in Hawaii. I saw that first hand. There in the islands was a small scale closed market that was operating in relative finacial harmony. Then Mesa rolls up with the intention of steamrolling 3 airlines by sell AT A FREAKING LOSS for up to three years?! Seriously what kinda of industry does this crap?!

 

That oughta be SOP...

 

The problem is, if we do go out and try to educate, what do you think we'll come off as? Arrogant, whiney, overpaid babies! If we were to educate, it would have to be very low-key and classy. Case in point: ALPA Picketing...I think it is a great idea! But then you have Joe Dirt walking down the street and all he can see is a gathering of Pilots making a LOT more than he ever will, ticked-off that they aren't making 100K to fly an RJ.

This is all easier said than done.

 

If I may clarify my original post: educating the public by itself will not make everything rosy; however, having the public on our side may help tip the scales in our favor.

Let's say a regional pilot group starts picketing seeking support for higher pay. Do we want the people who walk by to think:
(a) They already make $100k, greedy SOBs
(b) I saw a news release from that company that says starting pay is $25 per hour. Starting at $50k per year and they still complain
or
(c) I got a buddy who flies for one of those puddle jumpers. He says he only made $20k when he started

There are a couple threads right now talking about news reports about "inexperienced pilots" at the regionals due to a pilot shortage. Well, what if a different spin were put out: "We spoke with several pilots who said starting wages so low, many pilots who are single parents qualify for food stamps. As a result companies are 'forced to lower the standards: raise the pay, and you raise the standards,' said one pilot."

(before anyone says anything, I am not bashing lowtimers: it is an economic fact that increasing pay will increase a company's pool)


And finally, for those who believe public opinion has little or no effect on us, consider the fate of Value Jet. A crash whose proximate cause was a FAR violation by a contractor; yet, Value Jet suffered. Still don't believe? Take a look at a hacked version of Air Tran's home page.

http://www.2600.org/hackedphiles/val...tml/frame.html