Yeah, I'm "new" to the "new" United. Sounds like you guys are "old" to the "old" and "new" United. I haven't walked your miles in your shoes and I bet there's a lot of stuff on 'em...you have some experience.

That said, is there any way, considering your experience - not just at United, but in your lives, that you can muster something of value moving forward at work? Perhaps one flight at a time, making it what you want it to be...

Man, life is too dang short. Even when taking a metaphoric sip of crappy coffee and knowing how it progressively worsened...is there a way for you to make it something better? One flight, one person at a time? You are leaders by position...folks gotta follow to a point. If you head somewhere away from bitterness(though perhaps justified) towards something positive and then folks follow - that's real leadership as you know. I'll follow ya there.

Whew...a little early for that. I think I'll make a cup of coffee.

 

Thank you for that Kumbya moment.

(insert puke emoji here)

30 years ago a buddy of mine got hired at TWA and voiced similar commentary. He couldn't understand the animosity and acrimony that the pilots held. 30 years in the industry later, he fully understands.

Don't confuse interweb complaining with how people operate in real life. But do comprehend that bad attitudes aren't created in a vacuum. Once burned, twice shy comes to mind.

Welcome to the New U. I hope that 30 years from now you understand, or things have improved so dramatically that you don't.

 

Yeah, yeah, yeah - I understand. Been doin this 35 years professionally. Stuff happens - it sure has to me.

Good point about complaining vice real life ops - though my experience is you are who you are. But we're good at compartmentalizing.

You'll have to clean up your own puke though.

 

That's it. A lot of people still care about the job, and realistically, our future is tied to it. You nailed it. Take it one leg at a time. Do the best you can. Going the extra mile will be a personal decision to do, or not to.

I try the above, and occasionally go the extra mile, but those days are few and far between. You have to catch me in a really good mood. Most importantly, if things get even more screwed up after you try your best, let it go and move on. Don't let it get to you.

That seems to be the hard part of the job. Management does a really good job in selecting people who want to do a good job, we are hard wired for it--but you can't let it get to you. Hard lesson to learn.

 

Yup, wisdom there. Though it's sometimes tough to do when one ran the show for 25 years.