I had not wanted to get involved in this discussion/slanging match as there are no easy answers to the problems involved, with fault lying in many different areas. However, as an AT captain on 2 different fleets (and 2 different airforces) for 14 yrs I feel I have to say something about the number of veiled accusations being bandied around on this thread. The problems being discussed do exist and I accept things must be done to improve the service we offer to our customers, and they are customers and the reason, usually, we are there. However, I am getting pissed off with people making thinly veiled accusations about the actions of crews, effectively amounting to fraud by engineering nightstops in certain locations. In all my time I have never, nor do I know of anyone, falsely declaring an aircraft u/s to gain a nice night somewhere or to b**gg** around the pax. By all means carry on the debate about customer service but IF YOU HAVE EVIDENCE OF A CREW FALSELY DECLARING AN AIRCRAFT U/S THEN REPORT IT TO THE AUTHORITIES, IF NOT THEN SHUT THE F*** UP and get back to discussing the issues at hand rather than slagging people off and making false accusation.
Rant Off
