Goodness me! Some people can only believe that Goliath is bad, and David is lilywhite.
I'm sorry to all who feel that I denigrated Sunair in my post, as I stated, what I posted was my understanding of the situation. If you feel that SAA was sneaky and underhanded, and it was not right, again you are welcome to your opinions. Unfortunately, in the business world, it seems that morality has no place (worse luck for all). If the SAA management saw a way to close down one of the opposition companies, then took the opportunity, then such is business, but don't put all the blame on SAA's door, as has been stated earlier, the owners of the 75% of Sunair that SAA bought must also carry some of the blame.
Please don't think that I am unsympathetic to the plight of the staff, being unemployed in SA right now is not something I would wish on my worst enemy. Good luck to you all.
I actually hope that the staff can get the rescue bid together, at times like this, the country needs employees, not the unemployed. Also I think that Sunair was/is a great airline. It's a pity the owners did not think so.
By the way, the comment about the cabin crew salary is a bit silly, don't you think. It may not be as much as they were paid at Sunair, but with allowances (both domestic and international), it can't be too bad. Probably a lot better than not working at all.
As to my being an overpaid first officer, I'll bet if you were offered my salary, you'd also take it. So calm down. This may be the opportunity that gives you the job you've always wanted, maybe not, but it is the hand that life has dealt you.
As has been said, the wheel turns. In the past, SAA had to stand back while Comair, Sunair and others were setting up, and taking SAA pax. Not necessarily a bad thing, competition is good for standards. Now SAA did not stand back, and removed an opponent. I'm sure that the wheel will turn again, and then SAA will suffer then. So be it.
To quote one of the regular PA chirps
"Life is what you make it, and if you don't make it, that's Life"
[This message has been edited by skyvan (edited 20 August 1999).]