skytrekker - first of all my apologies for turning this thread in another direction and that was not my intention. I will not be making further comments after this one in order to let the debate continue along the subject originally discussed. Please PM me with an e-mail address and some salient details and I will make some enquiries on your behalf.
Regarding manning figures, I hear conflicting reports and know that we are keeping our head above water, but only just for the reasons given. It is certainly true that any delays or unexpected sickness can put us over the edge and we end up subbing out, but the crisis of the summer is significantly improved. Others will have a wider picture and I will leave that to them to discuss.
Cavelino rampante - I normally do not bother replying to comments like yours but I will make an exception. I would not be so foolish as to assume anything about you based on your comments - you know less than nothing about me and are really not in a position to make any judgement about any aspect of my life and character. Like many people who rant forth about other people's prejudices, your zeal for your cause makes you reply to comments that were not actually made - that is prejudice. I did not say that pilots from round the world lacked good airmanship because they do not have UK JAR licences - I have said they are not employable at easyJet or any UK airline until they have the necessary licences. I did not say anything derogratory about pilots from Belgrade or Eastern Europe - I indicated that Ryanair were recruiting there and this was indicitave of them looking far and wide for pilots. Finally, at no point did I say that someone's ethnic background was related to their ability to fly an aircraft - ethnicity is a subject introduced by you and you alone. I did, however, speak of some pilots from Ryanair who have difficulty with English and I stand by that comment. I have no problem with people criticising what I have actually said - I do, however, have a problem with someone making inferences from what was not said. You may be a pilot but you sure are not a lawyer. You have made assertions about someone you do not know regarding their judgement, skills and experience based on words that were never said. That, my friend, is true prejudice at its very best. Shame on you.
f/sphinx - You said, "I find your attitude for somebody who works at the politically correct easyjet bordering on being rascist." If I worked at some other airline, would my comments be more acceptabe? All of the above applies to you. You have no idea about me or my views - I am not a racist but if you think my comments are of that nature, then you need to get out more and find out what true racism is all about.