Come Fly With Me
The pilots are at it again. While American Airlines languishes in bankruptcy court, they have taken the difficult steps of instituting cuts to wages, benefits, vacation time and flights. As a result, airline pilots are none-too-pleased, and could create countless problems for the millions of passengers the airline serves each year. According to a Wall Street Journal article:
“Airlines workers periodically perform badly or walkout to get the attention of management and gain leverage in negotiations. It’s a messy battle that leaves passengers as collateral damage. Late flights means families with small children get stranded at airports when they miss connections. Canceled flights mean people miss meetings, weddings, funerals, cruise sailings. Business travelers get to hotels at 2 a.m. and 3 a.m. The impact on customers can be outrageous.”
Another disturbing trend in this developing situation is the actions taken by the American Airlines pilots union. The same WSJ article further reports:
“American’s pilots may quite rationally figure that crippling the company will increase the chances of a merger with US Airways -– American’s pilots’ union has already agreed with US Airways management on a hypothetical new contract superior to what American’s management is imposing after a federal judge canceled the pilots’ existing contract. Many are reacting emotionally, simply trying to hurt what they consider to be inept managers who are imposing punishing contracts as a result of the company’s failings.”
What the pilots union is doing is simply irresponsible. To put their unrealistic and ill-timed demands above their customers will do them no favors in the long run. If hurting their employer is what they want, they certainly are succeeding. That being said, what they don’t seem to realize is that the consequences of their actions go far beyond than just their employer.
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