Originally Posted by
Flying Clog
Oh behave you lot. For crying out loud.
Let's get back to the thrust of this thread, what Trafalgar started. He's absolutely bang on by the way. So you bedwetting snowflake insta crowd wind your necks in.
Back to my question which was lost in the bickering over the last few posts -
vvvvvvvvvvv
Can someone remind me why Cx mismanagement has the bases in their crosshairs?
Is it that they want to close them? Which makes no sense as they're a HUGE cost saving..
Or is it that they feel they can attack Ts and Cs on the bases whilst hanging the threat of base closure over the pilot's heads?
I think as Traf rightly posted it's to exploit the fear and inaction which seems to pervade this place (and which I'll not miss). People talk big but precious few have actually done anything to make their lot better (and many of those who did relied on third party adjudication on bases and/or regulatory entities to make this happen). Strangely enough just about every other carrier HAS managed to make money in this ball park (notwithstanding the current hoo-haw which will be largely subsidized in China, HKG, the US and elsewhere mitigating any real risk to the high rollers). And when things get back to normal a year or two downline these same entities will be the first to cash in. As much as this thing is a crisis it is also an opportunity.
The Company always takes the long view; the pilot body cowers and caves in the short term with some cataclysm or another and manages to screw itself. It's pretty clear under the current circumstances that this is an opportunity for the pilot body to force layoffs (with pay protection) and dingle the Company's long term plan to hire cheap POS 18ers and continue to play the new hires on a series of declining contracts off against the old heads (bringing working conditions down for everyone). If the company refuses to do this it can pay to idle.
Bases are problematic for the company because a few CAN actually stand up and do what's right and they have to negotiate in any case. Better to use them as a whipsaw while they can and have their 'leadership' running under a desk with the crisis du jour. Unfortunately many of them missed the "know when to hold them" portion of the Kenny Rogers song and love to fold at the drop of a hat while holding three kings.