Originally Posted by
framer
Grumpy pilots load more fuel than satisfied happy pilots while almost hoping a management pilot queries them on it.
Grumpy pilots make less effort to investigate and obtain more efficient flight levels.
Grumpy tired pilots configure earlier on approach than satisfied happy pilots.
Grumpy tired pilots utilise less single engine taxi.
Grumpy pilots don’t wait at the aircraft for the ground staff to hook up ground power before giving up and leaving the aircraft with the APU running as happy satisfied pilots.
Grumpy pilots are less likely to extend duties.
Grumpy pilots ‘self manage’ their rosters with sick days more often than happy satisfied pilots.
The above statements might not reflect well on the professionalism of pilots, but they are the realities of human nature. Human nature won’t/can’t be bent by rules or ideology, (see communism) it just is. There will be exceptions to the rule but overall it is the case.
So with pilot costs being substantially lower than fuel costs, it is cost effective to ensure the grumpy/happy ratio is maintained at an economically viable level.
We would like to offer food for thought.
it is relied upon that pilots accept and seek responsibility.
Pilots in airlines of our experience, no matter what tail they fly, tend to hold lots of loose ends together. Pilots are proactive, whether it be simply ordering a flight plan or intervening to circumvent a cascade of events. Pilots save far more than they cost by their simple proactive behaviour.
With this in mind, imagine for a moment that your employment involves assessing labour cost. The models you use have lots of fixed and incremental variable costs for crew. These models ignore noise as it is not defined nor understood. These models make no assumptions regarding compliance, for it is not a consideration: It is an Achilles heel. The only way it becomes visible is by the absence of compliance.
Pilots are a cost, it is right that management focus on labour unit cost control. it is however precarious to cut too far, for disgruntled pilots can very rapidly cause strife by simply withdrawing co-operation.
Simply put, want to see how much pilots 'cost', treat them
poorly.
Qantas will as Mr O'leary did apply more of the same.
Qantas unit cost is not the biggest problem, the lack of disciplined capital expenditure re-equipping the company for higher fuel prices is negligent.
If Qantas continue to push their pilots attempting to lower labour unit cost, they may well see that higher fuel prices are amplified by an individual response to an adversarial IR/HR employee model.
Qantas need a new fleet