Will the attack on Madrid affect pilot recruitment???

[richiya]

I'm sure you have all heard the horrible events that occured here in Madrid last thursday 11 march. Nearly 200 peolpe were killed and 1500 injured by the blasts which AlQaeda have claimed responsibility for.

Spanair had announced they were to recruit 30 pilots, but decided to postpone the interviews a couple of days before the attacks, we have heard nothing from them since then.

It seems that every time that things start to look like they are recuperating something horrible happens and takes us back to step one.

Do you think this will affect the aviation industry, or will it only affect Spain? Thanks for your opinions.

My condolances to all the family and friends of people killed and injured by these horrible events!!!!

ANIMO A TODOS LOS AFECTADOS, NO AL TERRORISMO!!!!

Richiya

[Artificial Horizon]

I have just read an article in todays daily mail asking the exact same question. Apparently the BA share price dropped 19p in reaction to the terrorist attacks in Madrid.

The reporter seemed to think that although not an aviation related incident the 'tourism' market can be effected by ALL terrorist acts.

Only time will really tell.

[redsnail]

People should show their resistance to terrorism by continuing to live their lives to the full. Go on holidays. Spend your money. (don't be foolish though) Don't bow down to those who want to take our freedom and ruin our way of life.

In all seriousness, you are still more likely to die in bed of old age than any thing else.

[witchdoctor]

Shellsuits will go on holiday come hell or high water - you just try and stop them.

However, it is the business travellers who are probably more deterred by matters of this sort, and perhaps the tourists from the more expensive end of the market, and as these are the folks who most likely put the real money in the coffers, then it's their behaviour that will determine the outcome.

Wayne, Waynetta and Frogmella will still go to Tenereefee and Ayia Napa even if they were sat next to Bin Laden himself.;)

[scroggs]

No, it won't - unless you decide not to be a pilot because some asshole bombed a train.

[Wee Weasley Welshman]

Indeed. From a security point of view the trains are wide open whilst the planes are well defended. If this atrocity marks a targetting of trains then this will be to the unfortunate benefit of planes.

Cheers

WWW

[no sponsor]

As someone who travels reguarly on business to all parts of the globe, my only reference to determine if I go or not is a quick look on the UKs Foreign and Commonwealth site if I am unsure.
If it says its OK to go (i.e. doesn't have an explicit warning to go only in an emergency) then I go.

This is mostly for company insurance purposes. However, when I get leaned on pretty heavily by my superiors even those warnings go out the window too...

[gemini76]

An interesting theory.............

Did the yanks know all about 9/11 and do nothing about it coz their economy was in a poor state and needed a kick start?

..........and would the yanks like Brits and other europeans to stop speculating in property in Spain and do it in Florida instead??

..........and why are the yanks awarding the majority of contracts to rebuild Saddams old kingdom to the........yanks?

Our friends indeed.....

[wheelbarrow]

gemini

Interesting conspiracy theories indeed!

Everyone else,

I think realistically, the events in MAD will have little effect on UK aviation. The Spanish scene of course may be different.

What seems a FACT now though, is that it is only a matter of time before terrorists hit London, or another major UK city.

This has been acknowledge by Sir John Stephens, the commisioner of the Metropolitan Police. The most senior officer in the land.

If a large scale terrorist atrocity were to hit us in the UK, I cannot see there being any benefit for the aviation industry. It doesn't matter where it happens or in what guise. The public will quite frankly sh1t themselves. All non essential events will be cancelled by many people.

Not wanting to scaremonger, but I am being realistic....

[Pilot Pete]

.........and a few weeks later they will just get on with their lives, like they have done before........

PP

[wheelbarrow]

A few weeks later Pete?

I seem to remember it taking a bit longer than that when both YOU and I were busy being booted out of jmc.

I know Britannia feels secure, but it could get bad. Really bad. To take the line that a few weeks later it'll be o.k. is fine.

However, both ou and I know that if people get worried, the companies cut back.

New York is a long way from London. Look what happened.

[Pilot Pete]

Wheelbarrow

We were going to be booted out of jmc as part of a cost-cutting restructure in the light of Sept 11th. OK, maybe weeks should read a few months, but the principle is what I was getting at. The holiday figures recovered pretty well, even for S02. Look at Air2000 who laid pilots off immediately then didn't have enough for the following summer season!

The airlines all saw it as the excuse to restructure their (inefficient?) businesses. Just look at BA. They had huge problems before 9/11, but 9/11 meant they simply had to do something right then. The airlines are much better placed now to lessen the impact of future 'one off' type events and unfortunately Wannabes have been amongst the casualties of this belt tightening exercise over the last year or two.

I'm certainly not feeling complacent or overly secure (admittedly much more secure than I felt in Oct 2001), but my main point is that the UK public get over these things relatively quickly and don't hide away for year after year in fear. Granted the 'few weeks' analogy may have been a bit of an exaggeration.......

PP

[scroggs]

The risks to any individual of dying from a terrorist event are considerably lower than they are of dying from British or American military action. And far less than they are of dying of the regular killers in society, like cars, booze, cancer, etc.

Once the newspapers have had their feeding frenzy, the general public get back to their normal lives pretty quickly. Businesses always take advantage of an opportunity to cut costs, and that happened big time after 9/11. There is less scope for that now, but it can still be done.

The biggest risk to our jobs is the press hyping the risks up and frightening the travelling public - the Americans are still not travelling thanks to the way their press - and Government - spooked them after 9/11, which is partly why the US airlines are still in such a mess.

Don't do the doomsayers' job for them!