Airlines in the News
What a crazy few weeks these have been for the airlines!
The Southwest Airlines inspection fiasco from a few weeks ago has led to Congressional hearings on airline safety that kick off today. Since the Southwest incident, Delta, American, and now United have canceled flights as they have been caught in their own inspection quagmires.
Aloha Airlines declared bankruptcy and stopped flying as of this past Tuesday. ATA announced today it has ceased all flights as it files for bankruptcy.
We have seen the airlines keep fees artificially low for years, choosing other ways (like outsourcing maintenance) to save money. If one airline raised fares, the others would normally stay low, resulting in a loss of customers for that airline. After all, the general public has changed from brand-loyal to cost-conscious customers.
I compared it last year to the airlines all bleeding money, with airlines posting losses in the millions for quarter after quarter. But no one wanted to stitch their own wounds. Seems they wanted to wait until some of their competitors died of blood loss. Then they could mend their own wounds and take business from their dead competitors.
Well, the funeral procession may have just begun. Can you hear the dirges in the background?
And lets not forget the FAA. It is part of the Congressional hearings that are taking place today, with current and former FAA inspectors testifying that the FAA has become too cozy with the airlines they are supposed to regulate.
John Nance even came on Good Morning America this morning saying that the FAA has become ineffective and most inspectors are focused on retiring and not on doing their jobs. He suggested that to fix the problem, we need to do away with the FAA, get rid of every FAA employee, and start all over again with a new regulatory agency.
Kind of an extreme solution…isn’t it?
Thanks for reading,
Joe Escobar
On top of all of the big names, don’t forget the little ones. Saturday is Skyway Airlines’ (owned by Midwest Airlines) last flight. There’s going to be a LOT of change (again/still) in the industry, but it’s my perspective that most people end up with better and more satisfying jobs after a RIF. I’ve been in aviation for 40+ years, and every single company I’ve worked for has gone under (maybe I’m the common thread?). In any case, I’m going to try one last company next week. Are you going to cover the “wake” that will be held at MKE’s General Mitchell Airport “D” concourse?
Joe,
You think it is an extreme solution but think again, they just invented Homeland Security and came up with TSA!!!! Also, the results of outsourcing aircraft maintenance to substandard & foreign markets is taking its toll right as we speak.
Time to change careers…….?
What a great idea lets reinvent the FAA but this time lets out source it. Dump the old dodgy FAA inspectors who try to make us do it right for some who can’t even understand the regs let alone enforce them. Loose the high time government employee who will bleed us all white when he retires for some third world person who we won’t even need to care about when they hit old age no matter what his contribution. That way when airplanes emulate lawn darts there would be no smoking gun in the regulators hands and they can go about their golf games in peace. Sorry if I sound a little bitter but I just lost my job today, along with hundreds of my brothers and sisters.
To all my sisters and brothers who have lost their jobs this month… I am so sorry. Sorry that companies sacrificed quality for substandard. My airline is no different but, with all the hell that’s going on right now, it’s has been brought to light. You get what you pay for. I’ve been in the aviation business since 1980 when I joined the Air Force and became a mechanic. I don’t EVER recollect as much maintenance trouble as we have now. Then, we took care of our own back then too, didn’t we?
this is to steve.i had 14yrs an i went through 7 co.’s.got hurt in 2000,i was out for 10wks.i called my boss to tell him i would be returning to work on my regular day an i was told to take a hike.8ys later an i still can’t get back in,nor can i get any other work.this is for nikki.way back when i started in aviation industry 1983 (i started out as a ramp rat), we covered each others butts reguardless of what your job was.many of times i pulled a mechanics ass out of the fire.in the end what did i get,i got it shoved right up where the sun don’t shine.even the last job i had,me an another mechanic had to fix the plane buy ourselfs( plane was new to us)an our boss was nowhere’s to be found but he wanted us to keep him in the loop just as if he was there with us,so he could talk to mx cntrl. (boss was in another airport working his side job).we had to cover his ass.now here i sit looking in thanks to him.an the people doing the hiring would rather hire a kid just out of school,then a person with experience.one final note:can’t wait to see sw go out of business,for saying i wasn’t safe and i wouldn’t make a good team player.well look who’s calling the kittle black now!!!!!