Ex Sim Guy: this might not be the situation over where you work (Britain, western Europe?), but the larger US airlines claim that they have little or no ticket pricing power-even with the huge increases in fuel prices.
As several are now under Chapter 11 protection, there is even less chance that extra expenses will be added for an extra crewmember. Chapter 11 protection applies to all businesses here, not just airlines, as is often suggested on Pprune. And most US airlines who have entered Chapter 11 failed, either during or after the sad process. And so this is US government protection? The historical facts show the contrary. Much of this happened before many of the "new pilot generation" of "400-hour-wonder button-pushers" were ready to waddle away from Kindergarten.
One of our crewmembers lived in Hamburg. Regarding recent profits at some European airlines, he said that, contrary to some claims on Pprune, when anyone on this website or elsewhere claims that there are no government subsides or tax breaks given to airlines over there, that is a lie. Jet fuel (refined kerosine) can not be cheaper than in the US, unless something is "rigged" in certain airlines' favor, possibly corporate taxes (?).
Last edited by Ignition Override; 11th Nov 2005 at 04:27.