…bitch…bitch…bitch…if you can’t stand the airlines/airports, stay home…or drive yourself or whatever…if you need to travel abroad, ask someone else to go in your stead…OTHERWISE, SUCK IT IN AND SHUT UP…PLEASE!!

Are you complaining because the two infants were seated next to you? How self-centered! You deserve the treatment you get!

Take a train … and quit bitching.

The aircraft cabin cleaners are all outsourced labor. They’re paid minimum wage, with no benefits (health, or otherwise). There’s no incentive for these people to clean more “effeciently” or “productively.” So, yes, this is just one of the ways the mismanaged airlines are saving money. The airlines are “serving up” the least that they need to, as you said before, “it doesn’t matter, as long as you get to where you’re going.”

My family and I just got back from an Alaskan cruise (via Vancouver) last week and just like you we were delayed – on the tarmac of JFK Int’l airport – for more than 2 hours. We missed our connection in SFO and had to wait till the next plane (luckily for us there were extra seats) to Vancouver. On the way back from Vancouver (we had a direct flight to NY this time), our flight was delayed again for not 1, not 2 but more than 3 hours and to add insult to injury, the airline just gave us free drinks – not even a meal.

I don’t know about the other airlines but the only time we (a major airline) have taken delays because of cleaning is because the aircraft has arrived completely trashed by the inbound passengers.
I’d hate to see how these peoples homes…(sorry New Yorkers,,,your’e the worst)
If you ever see anyone sitting next to you when you land somewhere folding a blanket, they’re probably an airline (airport) employee.

All cleaning was outsourced after 9-11 so they now can pay minimum wage. While I’m sorry for your delay its all part of the Southwest factor Someone once said you get what you pay for while some pay higher fares most pay peanuts hope yours was at least peanuts!

Hey deregulation is wonderful! So this is the sort of thing that the execs of outfits like this take bonuses over? Nice management, give em another 250 million and or all the profits that you pay for with your pain and lack of good service.

Boy, I hope those babies got their eight-week immunizations early. I have had terrible luck this summer so far, with the worst being delayed six hours on a US Air flight from RDU to PHL (where else?). We sat most of that time on the plane with no A/C, except for the two times we pulled back to the gate to let irate passengers who were going to miss their connections off the plane. I did deplane one of those times to get some food and water. Don’t fly this summer unless it is absolutely necessary.

Cleaning planes problem I have had also… How ’bout the “there is no one to drive the jetway over to the plane” experience. This hapens ALL the time in Philly. The latest being after a 5 hour flight from San Francisco with a 7 year old and a 4 year old..this 15 minute delay sent the 4 year old over the edge…it got “plane” ugly very quickly…oh, and do I need to mention the 4 HOUR wait for luggage after a recent trip from Jacksonville to Philly?? We knew we were in trouble when at 2 A.M., they announced that the plane with our bags was ‘returning” to the gate…evidently, USAIR almost sent a plane out with everyones luggage still on it!

Air travel needs to go back to being the luxury form of travel that it used to be – it should cost 650 bucks to fly to Orlando, and 1800 to fly NY to LA. People want to fly, they gotta save up for it…

One, this would cut the number of required flights down by a third – less air traffic, less delays,

Two, less human traffic thru the airports means better safety

Ultimately this improves the whole air-travel experience…

Great article. Very entertaining read. Fortunately, I haven’t had to travel this year, but my past travel experiences let me relate to this very well. Look forward to reading more of your blogs.

My story is a doozy. American Airlines this summer- 9:30 PM redeye. We’re on the plane, waiting for an hour and they make an announcement that the flight is cancelled because the co-pilot decided not to show up for work. They actually announced tht. THe rest of story got worse after that, but that’s how it started.

I have been flying the last year than in previous years and on severl different airlines. Sometimes with kids other times alone. Generally I have had good service from the airline employees , but bad service from the airline. I believe that when you are travelling with kids (less than 5 years old) they should board first.. even before the ’special needs’ people and before 1st class. I can not tell you how many times I have clonked someone in the head with a car seat.. Looking at prices now and of 10 years ago I have no complaints (except just give me 3 more inches of leg room). If you do not like what you get for the money then write a letter or do not fly.. But this is where the airlines have us by the short hairs isn’t it? Usually we have to fly. With many of the airline execs getting million dollar bonuses and the pilots/crew getting nothing I am surprised that we do not see the more strikes.. I say let the CEO of Costco take over one of the airlines his salary is relatively low and his big money comes from his stock whose value comes from his skills.

Keep on bitching – I am sure there are some entreprenurial souls out there who will sooner or later get into the business and actually give good customer service, at which point hopefully, they will start getting more of the business and more of the profits. Why should we take the airlines bad treatment? We are all paying our hard earned money, we deserve some respect.

On a recent flight from Orlando I sat in the window seat with five or six year old Sara setting in the center seat, with her mother in the isle seat.The entire flight “little Sara” screamed her head off, with mom offering only “Sara be quiet”. I looked all over for a piece of cardboard and a pen to write a sign to hold up that said “THIS IS NOT MY CHILD.”

I’m interested in all the people who are annoyed by those of us who expect a clean airplane, on-time performance and reliable service. I wonder if you work for the airline. Would you grouse about people who complain about long lines at a fast food place, dirty restrooms and rotten food? People have the right to an expectation of good service when they pay money for something. They have a right not to be treated rudely. And if by people like us complaining they STOP “outsourcing” the cleaning crews, and make other changes designed to help passengers have a better experience, then I suggest we all continue to complain as much as possible. Your point about New Yorkers, really stung, however. I plan to fold ALL my blankets from here on in. Finally, for now at any rate, and just on an FYI basis, I don’t want to take a train to San Francisco, okay?

I once tried to fly to New Orleans from DC. The weather was bad in Atlanta and connections were being missed. While waiting for my soon to be delayed flight, I called another airline that went west (connect in ST Louis then south) and they said their flights were on time and weather would not be a problem. At the last minute I changed to the ST Louis flight, got on the plane and sat on the runway for 2 hours. I did miss the connnection in ST Louis. The airline just put me back on a flight to DC and didn’t charge me for the flight. So I spent my friday night flying from DC to St. Louis and then back to DC. At least I got free drinks….

In June, O’Hare. Sunday morning. All passengers at the gate waiting to board. Flight crew on the plane, ready to fly. Flight attendants on the plane, ready to welcome passengers. But the passengers waited at the gate. Why? No gate attendant. Three flights were boarding at once at adjacent gates and American, apparently in order to save money, staffed only one gate attendant to work all three. We had to wait until the first and then the second flight had boarded before she could begin boarding us. Needless to say, all three flights were delayed.

As a frequent flier I can assure you that I avoid American and United as much as I can- also big airports.If you want a pleasant trip, your odds go way up with Southwest.

Carol makes a good point. A lot of the problems with airlines stem from deregulation and cost-cutting – ie, you get what you pay for. Surely there’s a market niche for an airline with 1970s quality service in exchange for higher fares??? Then those who are willing to pay for the service would have the choice.

I’ve gotten to the point now that I just drive. My family thinks I’m nuts to drive through the night from Philly to Florida. But in the end, it is worth it to me to be able to leave on my own schedule. Also, my kids (5 and 3) are much more comfortable. Yeah, the drive is 14-15 hrs….but realisitically, is that much more than flying anymore when you factor in the drive to the airport, the hassle of parking, checking your bags, getting through security and the invitable delays? I’d say no, and as evidence I’d submit that earlier this summer it took my mother in law 18 hrs. to fly to Florida total, while it ONLY took us 14 to drive.

You get what you pay for, and tickets are cheaper than driving or taking the bus, so your expectation must be to get something for nothing, or nearly so. So much for cabin cleaning, etc. Do you think most pilots want to quit flying after having taken 40% or more pay cuts plus pension losses? Many if not most are working on that. Then, when all the competent pilots have quit, who will fly your plane?
Do you care? Passengers scream for cheap seats right up to the moment they scream for their lives!

I love people who complain about people who complain. I don’t know if it’s the height of irony, but it has to be close. It’s so common though, we don’t realize it.

That’s just the flights that are actually listed as delayed. I fly at least once a week and find that most of my flights are listed as on-time but don’t typically board until well after the scheduled departure time.
I really hope the person who mentioned a group of entrepreneurs starting a new airline based on customer service is correct in their assumption. Because the fact is I can’t drive, take a bus etc. everywhere I go and the airlines know that and act accordingly.

I fly routinely in the US, Europe, and Asia.

How is it – for comparable prices for overseas flights (say Dallas to Paris) – AA service sucks. Delta service (ATL – Paris) sucks. Continental (NY – Paris) sucks.

British Airways, Air France, Aer Lingus…all wonderful international experiences with fewer delays, competitive prices…

Could it be a) their airlines are PROPERLY managed? b) they charge enough to keep the frigging RIFF-FAFF bee-bop loudmouth drunks off the planes? c) Passengers are treated with dignity and respect?

You decide, but the idea of our government subsidizing these horrific, unsafe, junkyards in the sky that are flown by various US based carriers is just ludicruous.

Southwest, Midwest – you are the gems in the crown and the exception to the above rules.

Oh, and airline employees – with the exception of MW/SW above – you are in general treated poorly because you ACT poorly. I have never seen a service class of folks – including the skanks at the bus stations – who are more rude, feckless, often blindly incompetent, late, irritating and irritated, and in short generally worthless. Your cabins suck; your service likewise; your seating abysmal; your efficiency lousy.

Since 9/11 any passenger that DARES question you risks being harassed, arrested, or worse. Finally, here is the story – a Delta flight, on the way back from Paris to ATL (originating in Egypt). First class, which was full, though I had payed for it….my somewhat polite request wqas rejected by the gate agent with (literally) “tough shit,” – the DTM by “so what, fly coach,” and by the airport manager with a ride on his Citation back to Dallas.

I will never willingly fly Delta again.

I once worked for an airline. The management style was ‘cutting edge’ for that time (the early 90’s). At the boarding gate, we started with 3 persons processing the flight {jetway, check-in, boarding, etc). The management technique was to cut a person until the system failed. At one point we were actually working with ONE person at the gate and having to rely on someone to come over from another gate to handle the needs (example: control the boarding through the jetway, while still checking late arrivals). Needless to say, the quality of service was totally dependent on the ability to control the “I’m special” needs of 100 people by ONE person. By finally demonstrating a failure (late departure), the management concluded that we needed 1.75 people per flight to turn around the plane in a timely manner. Looks like the learning curve of the airlines is a direct result of a new crop of managers having risen to the ranks of theoretical management without the benefit of real experience. Good luck to us all.

For the last 8 years I have had to travel to Florida monthly. I developed a flying phobia about 5 yrs ago and tried taking Amtrak. I took two round trip NYC-Mimi trips on the train. Both were scheduled for 20hrs, both took 39hrs.
After that I went back to trying flying and crying. Now I am past my fear but have developed a huge anger towards Jetblue. In the last year the service at this airline has plummeted while the fares have risen. There are undoubtedly many NYers who can attest to this as it has affected all areas of their flying experience. It just seems like the staff there has been substituted for low wage idiots who have a third world command of English.
South Park was right, airlines hate their customers and they show it in every way they can.
I just can’t believe we haven’t seen more news stories of frustrated passengers flipping out and getting arrested by Homeland Security because of the abuse they had taken.

Well, I was one of those in June that didn’t just WAIT at the airport, but had to deal with cancelled flight after cancelled flight….because of the “weather.” SHORTAGE OF PILOTS, THAT’S WHAT IT REALLY WAS. A month and a half later and I’m STILL fighing with American Airlines to get my money back. AIRLINE REFORM IS A MUST!!!!

Friday 8/3/07 .. plane 2 hrs late fri nite, got home at 2am, up at 630 am for DR appt.

Sunday 8/5/07, boarded plane, it was hot, had to switch planes because of ‘contraband’ found on plane, the new one was hot too. got to nashville 40 minutes late. boarded connection, it was hot too, fat old man smelled like fromunder (pick a body part) cheese got on plane, luckily he sat inback… 1 hour into flight the woman sitting right behind me starts screaming, ‘WAKE UP! WAKE UP! WAKE UP!’ she’d fallen asleep and was dreaming. got 6 hours sleep last nite, my alarm didn’t go off because i’d set it for PM instead of AM…

not to mention the two drunks i had to sit near last week, one of whom was reading a playboy on the plane and trying to get everyone around him to look at it….

then there was that little girl who pooped on the lav floor…..

i could go on….

and you ask me why i drink…

I’ve been at the confluence of all the bad travel headlines this summer — 3 hour wait on the tarmac on the first of our three flights to get to the Netherlands (the KC to Chicago leg); 2 out of 3 checked bags lost in Heathrow (gone a month and a half now and counting); and passport delays (our renewals were up this year — we received the new passports 13 weeks after submitting for renewal, and 3 hours before we had to leave for the airport). I’m hoping I’ve paid dues for a while — my busy travel season at work is Sept-Oct…

my upper limit for traveling by car tends to be about 800 miles, after that i feel compelled to fly. i have flown quite a bit on business over the last 20 years and can safely say that southwest offers the best ride:1)on-time dep/arr 2)low fares 3) friendly & zany employees who try to make it a fun experience 4)clean planes 5)best safety record in the industry. quality of air travel experience has more to do with the organization and its philosophy of customer service than anything else. ps note to the union-bashers, southwest is the most heavily unionized airline in the industry. fly southwest and dump the rest-you will be glad you did.

Come on, is that the best you can come up with, what a pansy.

The majority of complaints are from people who fly 2 times a year and cry because what they used to complain about as food 5 years ago has been eliminated in order to keep flying.

Having logged over a million miles from flying 2-4 segments a week on an airline which just emerged from bankruptcy gives me a little perspective. I would argue that overall the general public’s flying experience has improved since its low point after 911 and the string of airline bankruptcies. Through out all of this I would have to complement the employees of Delta Airlines for their professionalism and continued high degree of service during their companies journey.

I booked two frequent flyer coach seats in November 2006 on USAir from Atlanta to Ireland for July returning this week. When my wife and I arrived at the ATL airport 2hrs and 45 minutes before departure to check in we found out that our entire itinerary had been deleted. The gentleman at the counter was a mgr (35 yrs with USAir) he worked an 1hr and 50 minutes trying to get us booked back on the flights – he called inventory, reservations, and the award travel department and got no where, what was comical was the award travel rep was in central america and he said how could I expect two round trip free fares when I only had 12,000 miles in my account, of course I had the paperwork with me showing that I had 112k miles originally before the 100k deduction, but this guy couldn’t see it. The Atlanta USair mgr was very nice and said that this had happened before with a domestic itinerary since the America West/US Air merger, but not on an intl flight and he was simply at a loss for what to do as the system would not allow him to reinstate my itinerary. I got on my cell phone and got the phone number for USAIr corporate in Phoenix and got someone in the executive office and in 15 minutes he had everything back in the system and we made our flights. Now the return flight was interesting on the positive the plane left on time and arrived within 10 minutes of the planned ETA which I think is excellent. The main issue was that one of the three coach toilets was down from the onset and during the flight a second toilet failed so there was only one functional coach toilet to Philadelphia. I’m setting in the emergency row seat so I have a flight atttendant setting facing me and I ask how has the USAir merger with AmericaWest and I got a very honest answer. I was told the CEO is cheap that the airline has to pay an inventory tax for parts that are kept on the east coast and the CEo doesnt want to pay the tax so the mechanics dont have the parts so they have to wait for the parts to be flown in from Phoenix. WOW. I was told that this results in cancelled flights etc. and non-functioning toilets etc. This person was genuinely embarrassed by how dirty some of the planes are and when the CEO was questioned about this his response was, ‘when the passengers get off the flight they forget about it’ and ‘if we lose a customer our flights are so full we have two new customers waiting to take their place.’ Wow this is simply friggin amazing! OK on with my story. So now we are in Philly with our 3hr layover awaiting our flight to ATL at 5:10PM at 4:30 we get an announcement that due to weather delays for the incoming plane; our estimated departure is now 5:40 for this plane coming in from DC. We are updated shortly that it will yet be even later. Finally I get up and I take a walk to the USAir customer care counter in F concourse. I get there it is closed, but it directs me to a specific gate in F so I go there as the gate agent where I have been waiting isnt giving clear info. So now I’m talking with this new person they look up the info and said the flight was cancelled due to “a mechanical issue” (nothing to do with weather) and a plane was being ferried in from Richmond. SOooo I went back to the gate where I had been waiting for several hrs and informed the gate agent of ‘real story and that the flight had arrived at 6:07 and gave her the flight number and sure enough she was able to pull it up and see that it was taxiing to her gate, she said how can you know this and I told her where I got my info and she was amazed. Finally we get on the plane (it was a Embrair commuter jet with about 40 seats there is one guy to load the bags and move the trolleys it takes him 20 unmotivated minutes to do so all the while the sole flight attendant is upfront talking to the pilots while a baby toward the back of the plane cries non-stop during this time and the flight attendant never comes back to see if she can help the mother with the baby. Fortunately, my wife and I had ear plugs and they were a great help. We arrived in ATL at almost 9:30 – two hours late. Frankly, I’m not complaining they were two free tickets, but I had two fly a lot on USAir to get them so for those that think I’m just bitchin keep that in mind. I look at what the airlines have gone throught since 9/11 where they had two much capacity and went through a blood bath financially and I can see how many airline employees are unhappy with their wage and benefit cuts, but some of the wages and benefits of pilots where way over the top, for example some top pay Delta captains (before the cuts) made a $250k + yr and that was with 7 weeks of vacation and a 70% pension for life when they retire – that’s $175k/yr during retirement plus healthcare for life as well, its no wonder the pensions were underfunded because it takes billions to fund the annuities for the scores of pilots with egregious pensions like this and something had to give. Yes pilots spend a lot of time and years getting there ratings and building their time, but there has to be some balance and if they feel their underpaid they can always choose a different line of work.

actually your right about no cleaning crews. Because they have been all furloughed. NOW, you get the hard working employees who guide the flight in, unload your big bags from the baggage compartments, than walk up to clean the plane, than walk back down to load the out bound bags and than lock everything up and get ready to push you out of the gate. And btw, about the ONE agent working the flight, YUP, you guessed it, another department with massive furloughed employees. SURPRISED? Why should anybody be? That’s what happened after 9/11 and it it’s gonna stick!

Always put your name, address, several contact phone numbers, and preferably, your trip itinarary . . .

Great article. Let me put my small stone. I fly often within US in business and occassionally visting family in Europe or enjoying vacations in tropics. Everything people say here about bad service, dirty planes, delays, lying to customers about reasons of delay to avoid law suits, bumping poor people from overbooked flights – it’s very true! I’ve seen this and more… Welcome to XXI century onboard american carriers.
Last April, flight to Warsaw (Poland) on Delta with connection in FRA. I decided to buy tickets for different airline than LOT (Polish) – only airline that offers direct flights from JFK or EWR to WAW. They fly old 767’s which break more often now, leaving passangers camping on airports, because they don’t have spare planes. LOT operates under 10 „heavy“ planes and serving many long-haul destinations. And after my parrents lost one day in Warsaw waiting for next plane last January, I thought I would do better flying „major“ carrier. I get Lufthansa ticket, but first portion of my origin flight (JFK-FRA) was operated by Delta. What a mistake… Delta is a shame. Dirty, stinky, old DELTA 767 plane took off from JFK almost 3 hrs late with no specific reason. Nothing different from LOT planes, only food much worse… Same style – early 80’s TV monitors hanging from celling, half of them doesn’t work.
My trip started bad @ Delta check-in on the JFK airport, where they was trying to charge me $130 for 3 (three) extra pounds in one of suitcases. We settled to $50, after calling manager and showing press id… Plane arrived in FRA 2 hrs late, I had only 45 mins left to catch my connection flight. Once you late for your flight on Good Friday, you would probably eat Easter brunch with airport workes, as all planes are packed 100% with pople coming back home for holidays. I have interupted Delta flight attendants <> while plane was waiting for arrival to the gate to help me get out of the plane faster (from row 33 it takes minimum 15 mins to start moving toward exit…), but they ignored me first and after second inqury I’ve heard that’s <>… and attendents started chatting about boyfriends again… Thanks to courtressy of FRA airport employees (not Delta) and Lufthansa staff me (and my luggage too!!!) made my flight to WAW, despite need to change terminals. Great people, great equipment, great German service quality. They stopped plane which was already on its way to the runway, put me in the bus and delivered onboard. After doors closed they proceed directly to busy runway and departed immediately. Lufhansa A320 landed in WAW 10 mins ahead schedule, despite 25 mins delay leaving airport.

Believe me, service we receiving now has nothing to do with money we currently pay. My flight to WAW cost slightly over $1000 in economy class for round trip. I think that’s fair price for holiday period. Lufthansa gets same money for that flight but offers you 1000% better service. My return flight to JFK was 100% great Lufthansa experience. And again, they work for same money as Delta!!! American airlines are getting worse and worse every year. Service sucks, food quality too – I would afraid to feed homeless dog. Flight attendants are too often unpleasent and with overwhelming feeling that they can act like jerks, only because after 9/11 it’s easy to put complaining passenger in trouble – with one call to homeland security.
And yes, we should complain, keep complain as much as we can, complain to executives, to media, online. Otherwise they will keep doing things as they do now and laugh straight in our faces. I don’t care how much Delta employees make per hour/per year. It’s free country, you can always look for better job. Did anybody in the airport cared recently about how much you make to feed your family?

Welcome to my World! As a flight attendant for said AA, scenarios like this are the norm. But you did notice how we (the crew) still make the best of it. I used to be proud and say I was American Airlines, now I work FOR American Airlines. The front line staff (agents & cleaners) have been cut down to bare bones. Yet, may I gently remind you that last April upper management shared nearly 3 million dollars in bonuses. Sit back and watch…the union contracts are all becoming due. The French erected guillotines during their revolution. We’ve tossed the idea around.

There is nothing wrong with air travel. Those who complain are usually those who cause the most trouble. Everyone who has complained here has a serious mental deficiency that blinds them to their own faults. I believe that flying should be only for rich people.

If you guys think those stories are bad… I flew on a military plane (C-17) in the dead of winter from Fort Drum NY, to Afghanistan in the middle of the night. The first leg to Germany was about 9 hours, and our plane’s heater was broken. It was the coldest 9 hours of my life. I had on jeans, t-shirt, long sleeve shirt, hoodie and cold-weather gear pants and jacket, plus a hat and boots. I was wrapped up in a mink blanket too and I was still actually shivering. My water in my gatorade bottle was as cold as it is when it comes out of the refrigerator. It was even too cold (and uncomfortable) to sleep; I could see my breath. Oh, and having ear plugs in for 9 hours is not comfortable either.

I was on the same flight and found the solution…bourbon.

How about this…Saturday morning at Logan airport in Boston, and I’m waiting hours on a US Air plane because it has no fuel, and the flight crew is waiting for the fuel truck to show up. Did they oversleep?

Stanley,
You rock! And so does your blog. I also loved “Element’s of Style” in this week’s Fortune. Made me squeamish, though.

My most recent airport horror story occurred at O’Hare, where I had just made a presentation at the airport Hilton and was on my way to Oklahoma City for a 2nd meeting that day. I had on a nice suit with a camisole underneath (not to be titillating, just the facts). I was traveling with a colleague, a cool 71-year old gentleman.

Going through security, the TSA troll asked me to remove my jacket. I told him it was my primary garment and would not take it off to reveal my underthings.

He sent me to get patted down by the female guard. She asked what she was screening me for (ie., did I make the alarm go beep) and he says cryptically, “I’ll tell you later.”

Now of course she thinks I am a terrorist and pretty much performs a cavity search in the middle of all airport-goers. The pat down includes unbuttoning and opening my jacket, as well as flipping over the waistband of my trousers. I have now revealed my camisole, control top stockings and the color of my underwear to everyone.

I have bare feet and yet she asks me to lift each foot while she wands underneath. What might I be stashing in my false bottom feet?

I either almost got arrested or had an aneurysm, I was so upset and mortified in front of the world and my colleague (who was trying to retrieve with great difficulty all of my belongings, laptop, suitcase, purse, shoes, jewelry in the bowl, etc., from the conveyor belt while I was being violated). Instead, I took the Bing-Zen approach and kept mum long enough to make my way to the Admiral’s Club lounge for an early gin and tonic.

And yet journalists keep sending in stories of how they sneak contraband and weapons through airport security.

WTF?

Expectations, and how to save $5 on an airline ticket

“When I fly, I always take Delta… That’s because they pay their pilots the most money… You don’t want to fly with unhappy pilots.”

Johnny Carson, Tonight Show monologue, 1981

Traversing race, culture, gender, education level and socio-economic standing is the desire to be happy. It is the most powerful force buried at the center of the human soul. An individual’s “happiness” is directly linked to how life unfolds relative to expectations. Hopes and dreams in a mate, family, friends, social standing, or a career are just a few areas that can fall short, meet, or exceed expectations.

Tragic irony of high expectations is the possibility they will not be met hence a greater risk of an unhappy life. Throughout life expectations are created and destroyed. Over the course of a lifetime a common pattern emerges where expectations follow a trace akin to a bell curve. Zero at birth, peaking mid-life, and diminishing as one passes the “mid-life crisis”. With this knowledge one might conclude the key to happiness at any point along the curve is to simply lower your expectations. Unfortunately expectations are often set as a result of something external to or as a result of something the individual did or did not accomplish. Print, video, and other environmental exposure are powerful influences. Performance in academics, sports, social life, college and graduate school play an important part of setting expectations. Success indexes life’s expectation curve higher while failure drives it lower. A driven, successful, highly capable person who has climbed the ladder to Chief of Neurosurgery at Massachusetts General will have radically higher expectations than a person who flunked out of high school, smoked dope for three years before setting a lifetime career goal to become a forklift driver at the city garbage dump.

Business leaders recognize it’s essential in a market-based enterprise to have happy employees. “Best man or woman for the job” does not imply the one who has the highest level of capability but rather the person whose capabilities and expectations most closely match the duties, responsibilities, and compensation the job has to offer. Management must balance the need for competence against cost. When a business cannot meet employee and customer expectations balanced against revenue, it will fail. When an entire industry finds itself in this situation, the entire industry will fail.

In the airline industry an unprecedented percentage of unit revenue and unit expense is outside control of management. In 1978 pricing power was wiped out with passage of the Airline Deregulation Act. During the 1990’s the Internet matured making it almost impossible to gain a revenue advantage over a competitor. Awash in red ink it was no surprise the chainsaw was wielded at labor in an attempt to reduce costs following the Dot-com bust of 2000 and the events surrounding September 11, 2001. It was the perfect storm. Luckily the airlines had resources in place to deal with the tragedy. For the last 35 years a Washington D.C. based think tank funded by the airlines, Airline Industrial Relations Conference, has existed to achieve one objective: Control airline personnel cost. How well have they done? In a word, phenomenal. I will illustrate the fruits of their labor with their crowning achievement…………….. Airline pilots

In terms of inflation adjusted dollars, Airline pilots today earn less than half of what they did 35 years ago. The unit of work can be measured by flight hours, duty hours, hours away from home, Revenue Passenger Miles, Available Seat Miles, or most importantly, revenue generated per pilot.

Industry hyperbole: Pilots are paid way too much. Look at the hourly wage. Look at how little they work. Seems like a whole lot of money to pay someone for a part time hobby.

In reality if consideration is given to opportunity cost, time value of money, true number of hours required to become and work as a commercial pilot, risk in terms of not completing a career for any number of reasons, including getting killed; The economic justification is not substantiated to become a commercial pilot even if the career goal is attained.

Industry belief: There is not now nor will there ever be a shortage of people willing to work as pilots at any wage.

True fact. Nor will there ever be a shortage of people willing to be Professional Ball players, or Firefighters or CEOs at any wage. The question is this: Will the industry be able to attract and retain the level of competence required at any wage? The answer is no. At the current Federal minimum wage you would not be able to consistently find competent Professional Ball players, Firefighters, CEOs or Airline pilots.

Industry stance: Pilots don’t get paid minimum wage and planes are not falling out of the sky.

The current national manpower pool of airline pilots came in with substantially higher career expectations, thus capability than what will be the next generation airline pilots. Airlines now operate on borrowed time during the transition. It will take years, perhaps a decade for current pilots to retire and or leave the profession in significant numbers before the damage to safety will be acknowledged.

Industry opinion: Statistically we are enjoying an era of unprecedented airline safety. There will always be some level of risk to flying.

A time bomb is being built as airlines focus on lower expectation pilots. As the industry continues the “race to the bottom” airline leadership will confront a pilot labor pool decimated to such an extent that safe, reliable air transportation will no longer be feasible within the cost structure they created. As the next generation pilots take command we will see much more of what is now just the tip of an alarming iceberg: Unthinkable missteps by incompetent pilots resulting in massive loss of life and substantial hull losses. Recent events such as the Helios 737 crash, the West Caribbean MD-82 crash, the American Airbus A300 crash, the Northwest Pinnacle CRJ crash and the Delta Comair CRJ crash are examples are inexcusable errors that should have never happened. Safe air travel was built by minimizing identifiable risk. The industry has become complacent with the current level of safety and is willing to accept increased risk in an effort to reduce personnel costs.

Industry objective: Replace human capability with technology. Over the last 35 years the modern airliner has been loaded with safety features in an attempt to idiot-proof flying. If we can teach Homer Simpson to run a nuclear power plant we can now teach his twin brother to fly a jet plane.

Flying is a dynamic environment requiring considerable judgment and intervention beyond the capability of technology. Members of the Airline Industrial Relations Conference need to dispatch with the NTSB Go Team so they could see first hand the true fruits of their labor. The severed body parts and blood splattered airplane wreckage. The stench of burned human flesh and charred remains at the crash site of Delta Comair 5191 in Lexington, Kentucky. They should be required to console the loved ones of those who were killed. Only Airline Industrial Relations Conference members would attempt to quantify why such a hull loss is acceptable. Air Conference members should be held accountable for manslaughter, or if they fully understand what they have done, murder. Safety of the flying public needs to take priority over trying to staff airline cockpits with the cheapest human resources the industry can find. The Simpson’s is just a cartoon.

Interviewing people from every walk of life for three decades he understood what made people tick. If he were alive today, Johnny Carson would not be flying Delta or any other airline. He would not be able to find any well-paid happy pilots. The leaders of the airline industry have won and the flying public has lost. And it was all for what? $5.

I quit flying after I got the “wand” treatment the last time I flew out of Phoenix.

Why the heck is TSA targeting a white, middle aged grandmother when they can’t begin to stop the flow of illegals swarming over our borders?

Another good reason to not fly as often next year. The Year of the Rat, 2008 says:
The clash between fire and water will also bring accidents related to fire and the airline business is in the category of fire element. As such, it is observed that the year of the Rat seems to experience more air disasters. A typical year with many aviation disasters is the previous Rat year in 1996. During this year, there are over 20 major airplane crashes including the U.S. TWA Boeing 747 crashed in July, 1996 killing 230. Looking at the immediate last Earth Rat year in 1948, there were also quite a numbers of airplane crashes including the hijack of a Cathy Pacific airplane in June, 1948.

As long as the Sr. Executives at Airlines keep making salaries amounting to highway robery while cutting the salaries of those who work, we the public will suffer!
May be we need rail system to get better.

i use to fly about once a month
i have flown twice in last five years
i dont miss the pain at all
driving is just fine
(time is almost the same)
airlines dont care so dont expect improvments anytime soon
when execs get bonuses for not
doing a better job
why would they ever change.
few delays in my car!

I find it interesting that there are no complaints about seat comfort, one of our major complaints. No leg room or seat width. We were on a recent flight where the passenger in front of me put his seat all the way back and I was looking at his scalp. Apparently the seat pitch lever was broken. He refused to put his seat up at my request stating he had paid “good money and had the right to comfort”. It took some time to get a flight attendant to address the problem and she acted as though I was annoying her. I would rather suffer through a 2 hour flight delay in an airport than experience this situation again on a 6 hour flight.

To All AA Employees: I am a ExecAdv Member (2M Miles strong), and I have watched you guys perform with professionalism and sincere cheer every week now for the last five years, all the while watching your pay go down the toilet and your management step on you like bugs. What I say is: put a pitchfork in the back of your Union Leaders, and *demand* your lives back at the next contract negotiations! Remember your pilots: they gave up to “save” the company, only to have Don Carty try to sneak through highly lucrative bonuses for himself and a few other executives (later revealed in an SEC filing) – remember 2003? Back then, the Flight Attendants’ Union had it right – FIGHT! I remember many headlines on the front pages of the Dallas Morning News concerning AA back in the wake of 911, and how the unions and management were “working together” to “save” the company. WHAT A CROCK!

Remember: Your management has truly placed the burden of “saving the company” on your backs, and while making you bleed and suffer, have awarded themselves millions in bonuses and other perks – and for what? From my vantage point (the faithful customer), all I have seen are: no meals for coach; increased security hassles; frustrated employees faithfully performing their duties; static or slightly more expensive fares; increased delays both on the gate and on the tarmack. Nothing has improved for the customer!

When you go back to the negotiating tables, send a clear message to your union bosses that you demand your lives back – a reasonable living wage, a useful training schedule, and most important – improved insurance benefits. If the management balks like your VP of HR has done in recent news articles on CNN.com, then demand he give back his 2007 bonuses and perks as “a sign of good faith negotiating”. Remember – I am willing to bet 500,000 ff miles that no currently employed AMR executives have taken any cuts in insurance benefits or salaries since consummation of your last labor contract.

American Airlines Employees are simply the best – head and shoulders above Delta, USAirways, and NWA. You guys deserve much for the way you have handled yourselves over the last 5 years, and your company management has demonstrated in the press that they are simply arrogant, greedy little people that treat you with utter contempt – not giving one thought to the fact that you guys might have families to support. At the next Union Negotiations, test their statements – if the company has to become more competitive, then make the management match any employee concessions IN WRITING – if you guys have to give, then they have to give too. The idea of “good faith” negotiating has gone the by the wayside.

AMR recently called me to ask for my opinions on how the company could improve itself. My answers were: 1) Increase Employee Pay 2)Provide Increased Training 3) Management needs to become more conscience of their appearance in the press – right now, the AMR management looks pretty bad in the public’s eyes.

I stress employee improvements (pay, training, etc) because YOU ARE AN AIRLINE! I may not have an MBA, but I have enough sense to know that if you run a hazardous business (flying is inherently dangerous) then high employee moral and strong employee knowledge of safety procedures are paramount to avoiding hazards and accidents, as well as taking appropriate steps to save lives when accidents happen.

GOOD LUCK GUYS! FLY THE FRIENDLY SKIES!

The bottom line here is the airlines are managed by blind incompetents, and airline workers – at least the customer facing ones – have lost all sense of customer SERVICE.

Get this, American, Delta, NW, others: double ticket prices. Get the friggin riff-raff off the planes (customers and sky hags alike) and bring back the days when flying meant travel in style.

Oh, yes: if you have a two year old child? Stay home! Unless (s)he needs a kidney transplant and is on the way to the Mayo to get it, DRIVE, or get the grandparents to fly.

The air is meant for those of class, courtesy, style, and money. Not for the budget-conscious “traveler,” – these folks are best served by that American icon…GREYHOUND.

Hey Marcus Wohlbier. The problem is my two year old has more class & style than you. He neither denigrates nor complains about his fellow travelers, nor does he swear or attempt impress anyone with his wealth. They are both multi-lingual and have tasted foods from all corners of the globe. Both he and his four year old brother have nearly 30 countries between them. They have a knowledge of the world and a sophistication beyond your own. So why don’t you take the bus. Just because you’re older doesn’t make you better. Anyone can get older.

That’s pretty funny, Wohlbier – a Texan bitching about people not having class, courtesy, and style. Oh, the bitter irony…

In a lot of flights (not the longer ones I guess 1500 miles or shorter),flight attendants are required to clean the plane before they deplane and go on to next flight. And they don’t get paid for any work they do on the ground unless the door is closed, so, basically flying time. But even boarding, deplaning, cleaning and delays (5 hours or wherever) they don’t get paid for that! Not even a dime! So during delays and all that: Remember this: The crew is not getting paid at all! That’s why pre boarding is an issue as well! There has to be a line, or the company will have crewmembers working even more for free. Gate agents know better than to ask the crew if they want to start pre boarding and work a few minutes more for free… Typically they can have about 3 flights a day maybe 4, and the day can be as long as 15-16 hours, but because a lot of the work they do they don’t get paid, In the end, for a 15 hours work day they got paid for about 6 or 7 hours. As you can see the problem is a lot bigger than just bad employees or rude people. There’s the UNION telling workers to say NO when asked to work for free because management certainly doesn’t! Then you have costumers that paid a lot of money to fly and have to deal with crap and no right to complain! I really feel for the passengers! But employees are overworked, underpaid, working many hours for free. So it comes back to consumer‘s power: Write to the AIRLINE COMPANY and tell them what you think from your point of view. Do something about it! Fight to get things changed! It will take a lot o people making a lot of noise for something to be done.