Originally Posted by
Rated De
I share the sentiment Krusty. It isn't about money, sadly they know the price of everything, the value of nothing.
As the airlines found that do take a different line, labour unit cost should be a consideration not an absolute focus.
Herb Kelleher worked from the other end, starting with employees and working backwards...Worked for just on 50 years.
A company is stronger if bound by love, than by fear.
-Herb Kelleher
Cannot imagine a Leigh Clifford, 'self anointed industry captain' type even under duress mouthing such sentiment. Sadly for him he is shortly to be consigned to history as he is pretty much done as his his model of 'leadership'.
Airlines that treat people with respect, not weasel words through faux smiles and focus groups will actually firstly attract qualified crew and then keep them.
We are a while off that yet, but demographics ensure they will be forced to change.
Who did Herb Kelleher have to answer to? How about Richard Branson? Elon Musk? Steven Jobs? Visionaries who change the world rarely have to do a board of directors carpet dance explaining why they chose to to do great things, like make the iphone, limit their fleet to one type of aircraft, or why they chose to reinvest their PayPal corporate earnings into an electric car startup. There's a saying in investing: "bet on the horse, not on the rider". I know we do not often have the opportunity to choose which "horse" we are betting our careers on in aviation, but at least we can be wise enough to know when we should have a plan B in place. When I arrived on site at one job I was told that I should think of my new position as if I had been handed two buckets. One for bullsh*t and one for $$. When either bucket was full, it was time to move on. My BS bucket has grown smaller and smaller with age. I might suggest that if one arrives on property with their BS bucket already half full, they'd better keep an eye out for another horse to wager on. Some jockies flog their horses and achieve short-term victories. Some have a partnership and create industry icons that consistently lead the herd.