Kingswood,
Absolutely spot on!!!
This attitude is prevalent world wide to some extent in every sector of aviation.
In the medical field for eg, in running a hospital the key people are Docs and Nurses and patients, NOT the admin /management staff.
Did everyone see that old episode of Yes Minister where they had a fully staffed and running hospital but no patients???? They couldn't afford any patients as that would blow out the budget and then they couldn't pay all the admin and support staff!!!!!
EVERY aviation company out there big or small all seem to view pilots (and Flight attendants where required) as huge liabilities instead of as their most important staff members.
It's AVIATION for God's sake. it's all about FLYING AEROPLANES, doing a specific task(and hopefully making a profit while doing so).
To do so REQUIRES PILOTS (& F/A's when needed) and LAMEs to keep them airworthy, if those people don't show up for work well the plane is not going anywhere.
If management dont show up WE can still get planes off the ground and earn money.
GGGGRRRRRRR......KABOOM!!!!!,.... my head exploding yet again.
World wide they just DO NOT UNDERSTAND OR GET THIS SIMPLE FACT!!!
**** Please no flames from anyone, I am NOT saying Management and Admin are not important and do not have their role to play.
Generally though, upper management are grossly overpaid for what they do compared to all the key staff that make it happen, whether managements decisions and choices are right or wrong.
If they are wrong as is often the case, they bail out with golden parachutes and the employees get it in the neck and either lose their jobs or take massive pay and T&C cuts to try and save the company....as has and is happening in the airline industry.
If managements all over have such contempt for pilots, then they can get out of the office, go and learn to fly and do it themselves as well as run the company. Then they might justify their salaries.
Basically, pilots are the most undervalued yet highly skilled profession out there anywhere in the world.
Aviation connects our entire world and we couldn't live without it yet it is treated by companies and governments alike in many cases as a throw away commodity as are its workers.
In the few days after 9/11 here in the USA when it suddenly wasn't around boy did that get everyones attention and hit everyones balance sheet!!!!
Ok, rant over.