Originally Posted by
Slarberg
I mean. How can someone try to improve anything if he is involved within the company?
This is an important point.
There is a definite conflict of interest if the agency has people involved in running the airline. Whilst, on the one hand it may seem to be suitable for trouble shooting any issues or problems, at the end of the day the agency people have a clear conflict of interest if there are any disputes with the airline.
I know for a fact that at Xiamen some current pilots have established an agency and are recruiting expats esp from a DXB LCC. Again, whilst that has apparent advantages it also has major disadvantages and patent conflicts of interest - are they really going to fight for you in a dispute or ensure contractual compliance when it may jeopardize their own position?
One should be close to an airline but not too close when it is really needed. A working relationship at arms length is always important to ensure a degree of independence and objectivity.