Strike1; You refer to flying crew down. Was it a case of the flight was rostered to fly with crew short? Or was it case of the crew called in sick / didn't bother?
Just dispatched a flight today, 3 crew down because of sickness. The ones called out , x2 went sick when called out and the other one just didn't turn up. Did a flight yesterday that was 4 down due to "sickness". Christams Day was similar, but all the rostered ground staff turned up. Now really, how can you blame the company for this kind of situation? It is really frustating reading comments about flying crew down, when it is crew colleagues "stitching up" other crew, no contribution from the company to the situation that I can see. No doubt there will be comments about it being due to poor morale, but this is a persitent problem that has been going on for years in good times and bad. Would an increase in the crew down payments resolve a situation like this? I cannot see how. In someways it could actually exacerbate the scenario. And as an aside, if one of my "team" doesn't turn up for whatever reason, the rest of us do not get a compensation payment, but still have to cover that persons work and it is "front line" and so also could affect pax service and schedule. (No comments about get a union to get you one then, please!)
Now doubt someone will reply and defend this situation. But for those of us on the ground who see this, it is very frustating in the current climate. Is it any wonder that many other departments do not support your cause?