[bobeaston]

It seems no one remembers that all of the airlines, being obedient to Saint Fauci, fired people for not getting the jab. The combination of firings, layoffs, and voluntary retirements due to government pressures have left the airlines (and many other industries) very short of staff.

[crash]

Originally Posted by MartinSE

Sounds about right. I wonder why they are understaffed?

Because they under pay those starting out so the supply of new pilots dwindles. My son started at $23,000 a year with $100,000 of student loans. In his class was a air force pilot with 20 years experience being paid that and being on call he quit and went and did something else.

[Villages Kahuna]

Where did you get all those “facts”? Looks like more Fake News.

[Larchap49]

Originally Posted by manaboutown

Two America West Pilots Sent to Prison for Drunkenness | Aviation Pros

For a brief period about 15 years ago I dated a United Airlines pilot I met at the Daily Grill in the Bradley terminal at LAX. She was British, flew 777s to and from Heathrow. I soon quit dating her due to her very heavy drinking habits and turned her name into a United Airlines flight surgeon I knew well. Never asked what happened but last time I checked she was still flying for United!

Motto used to be 24 hrs bottle to throttle, now it's 12 hrs. That's progress I guess

[talonip]

Originally Posted by Michael G.

I and some golfing buddies were flying out of state to golf, and our flight was cancelled until the next day
because of plane malfunction.

We took a taxi to a motel that night and was telling the taxi driver what happen.

He laughed out loud and told us many times the pilots show up at the airport drunk.

This is truly a sad world

I was an airline pilot for 33 years. Only once did I have a questionable pilot. It turns out he was ok. That is a false statement against a very honorable profession. This thread ignores the reality of the political environment we are in. When jet fuel goes through the roof it decimates the airlines and you become the victim of hard choices the airlines have to make. Airline operations are one of the most complex operations that you can’t imagine. Please hold your tongue.

[GizmoWhiskers]

Originally Posted by retiredguy123

So, the airline has a plane, a pilot, a co-pilot, flight attendants, and everything else needed to take a trip. They sell tickets to the passengers. They have been doing this for years. But now, when the passengers come to the airport, they are told that the flight is cancelled. WHY?

Bought plane tickets yesterday... an interesting experience... is it possible that A A is becoming the socialist/communist choice takeover for travel in the US?

When I was in my first Walmart many many moons ago and saw the 20 or more registers with only 3 open with a swarm of waiting shoppers with melting frozen food... my eyes were opened. It's coming... AA the Walmart of the sky...

Perhaps the pilots picketing is the last line of defense attempting to preserve freedom in travel?

Ticket on AA to DC from Orlando $105 plus the b s sticker bumps. AA from PA back to here 1 wk later... over $300 to $600 before the b s sticker bumps.

Pawns in a game...

[SandyPd56]

Originally Posted by MartinSE

Sounds about right. I wonder why they are understaffed?

When Covid hit, a lot of pilots decided to take their retirement early, so there is now a shortage and most airlines have had to cut a lot of flights. I know that some airlines do not pay their flight crews for the time they spend getting the aircraft ready and during boarding. They only get paid once the flights are in the air. I'm guessing that may be why they are picketing? Can't say for sure!

[Dusty_Star]

Originally Posted by retiredguy123

So, the airline has a plane, a pilot, a co-pilot, flight attendants, and everything else needed to take a trip. They sell tickets to the passengers. They have been doing this for years. But now, when the passengers come to the airport, they are told that the flight is cancelled. WHY?

I would rather be safe than sorry.

[Vikingjunior]

Hey nobody wants to hear the truth around here. We just want lies to justify our opinions.

[Captainpd]

Once again, stupidity raises its ugly head. People who know absolutely nothing about how airlines work are now experts. They acquired this knowledge because their flight was canceled. Airlines are in the business of moving people. When airplanes don't fly, they don't make money. Flight crews are paid by the "moving" minutes. Brake release starts their pay, brakes set at the gate ends their pay. Absolutely dozens of outside events that are out of they airlines control effect their business model. Pilots get time off and if they want to spend that time protesting their job conditions, it's their right. Pilots have the lowest % of alcohol related work problems. Somebody quotes a cab driver about his "experience" with pilots and this person thinks that that is a reliable source. Get a grip people, pilots aren't the problem.

[Manders]

Originally Posted by manaboutown

The pilots are too busy to fly as they are shaking down their employers for more pay for less work. More than 1,200 Delta pilots picket at 7 major airports to call for higher pay : NPR

Southwest Airlines pilots picket, say they'''re tired of being understaffed and overworked

Year ago I used to fly AmericaWest (known as AmericaWorst to flight crews as well as passengers). For quite a while the pilots were having flights delayed and canceled for any trivial excuse they could imagine. For months it was a nightmare of missed connections, losing great upgrade seats when they canceled my flights and crammed me into middle seats of other flights, getting stuck overnight in connecting cities and so on. One day I was up in first class and the pilot was pulling some stunt about why he could not take off due to a light on the console not working properly. A guy near me pulled out his FAA credentials and waved them at the pilot and told him to get the plane in the air or he would get written up. We took off in minutes.

100% BS…. Your interpretation of what happened is skewed and misinformed. As a actual professional pilot that story NEVER happen. The FAA,pilot, and airline would all be fined if the events happened as you described. Please, quit spreading false and misleading information.

I’ve found through the years the public interpretation of events wildly varies from facts.

[airstreamingypsy]

Over a million people have died of Covid, maybe some were pilots?

[Andyb]

A good question for our Secretary of Transportation. Seems he won’t or can’t answer the question.

[BlackHarley]

Pilot in Command always has the final say in whether a flight will happen or not. FAA, ATC or whomever does not have the authority to over ride the PIC. Now if he was drunk as a skunk from hanging in the lounge a little too late, that's a direct violation of FAA rules and regs and he will be relieved of command in a heart beat.

[Tadpole]

I am so thankful my flying days are over! I flew to over 100 countries as a tourist from 1970 to 2000. Easy boarding, no body searches, rarely any inconveniences. Even the coach lounges had a bar area setup where people could gather and have a party. Those were the days when flying was actually an enjoyable part of the trip. I wouldn't get on a plane now if they paid me.