Airlines losing money, How could they not???

[Jamo]

Originally Posted by 767Jockey

Regulation was a less than perfect solution. Clearly, deregulation is a ridiculous mess as well.

How bad is it? You guys won't believe this, but it's absolutely true. My flights are ALWAYS delayed. I'd guess conservatively at least half the time, probably more. Honestly, with very rare exceptions, almost every delay I suffer through with my passengers is air traffic control induced. The ATC system is clearly broken; it's a mess. Air traffic control is run by the Federal Government. So what does the Federal Government do to show the passengers it's trying to fix delays? They fine airlines that they have delayed too often.

Yup, you heard me right. They delay us constantly. Then, when they delay us too much, they fine us for being too delayed too often. Beautiful scheme, huh? Here's what we have seen from the Feds: Deregulate the airlines so every hedge fund and Tom, Dick and Harry wanting to suck up a piece of the huge cash flow that any airline generates can start some piss into the wind airline that'll be lucky to survive a year selling $39 tickets from NYC to FLA. Fill the sky with all these deregulated aircraft, and at the same time don't do a thing to increase the sophistication and capacity of the ATC system. When the ensuing chaos results, blame the airlines and fine them. Welcome to the age of deregulation.

Now, on top of that chaos, throw in airline management that is almost always more interested in stock price than actually running an airline. Have them destroy any remnants of employee morale by cutting their employee's pay and stealing their retirement by perverting the bankruptcy system. Then, to top it all off, at the end of the year these thieves take multi million dollar bonuses because of all the money they "saved" the company. Essentially all the money given up by the employees gets taken home in bonuses by the execs. Think of that the next time a flight attendant growls at you. She or he likely just got hosed and watched some upper or middle management take the money they gave up home for themselves. It's a beautiful system. Robin Hood in reverse so to speak.

There is no lower life form on Earth than the current crop of Airline Managers. They have no shame. The crown prince of them all has to be this clown Glenn Tilton who (allegedly) runs United. Just Google his name and start reading. It's very entertaining, unless you happen to be one of his employees who he just fleeced on his yearly multi, multi million dollar bonus. Check out the AA management team as well - a real swell group of guys too.

The result is a broken system, schedules that can't run nearly on time, major metropolitan airports so choked they can barely function anymore, and the entire population of Florida over the age of 65 who all feel that they have the God given right to travel anywhere in the country for $39.95.

What a mess..........

Assolutely 100% on the money! Again...Greyhound for the masses, fewer flights because fewer can afford them, but more flights where you need them.

Local issues...I'm getting damn tired of flying glorified crop dusters out of FAT to get to SFO or LAX. At least Express Jet flies jets to nearby airports (Ontario, Long Beach, etc.) and they are booked solid. I tend to drive for anything less than 300 miles now.

I want the employees flying my fat ass around happy, and I want them to smile at me when I get on board. I don't give a flying phuk if they want to clean their gun in the cockpit while it's on auto-pilot, so long as they are happy.