Moodymoosey
Nothing personal old chap you understand.....but for £$%£s sake GET A LIFE!! Why do those of us in this business who love flying aeroplanes (just like you I presume) but who would also like to see our wives and children while remaining awake once in a while, have to put up with your wishy washy drivel that apparently implies that I have to take anything that rostering comes up with just because I happen to like flying aeroplanes?
If I had a pound for the number of people I've flown with over the years who've given me the same argument.......
Don't you realise the bottom line is money? Work us as hard as the rules allow and the profits increase, and some rich businessman buys a new yacht......if we let ourselves be worked like this we've only ourselves to blame.
Do you honestly think that many other workers with our level of responsibility would put up with the odd starting times, long hours, and difficult working conditions that we put up with?
And excuse me, but to compare us with baggage handlers or duty managers is illogical in the extreme. If they suddenly walk off the job due to fatigue, does anyone get killed? I think not. I'm a trainer, and it really gets my back up when people don't stand up for themselves and realise that the job we do is actually VERY SKILLED. You really realise this when you're training new, inexperienced people in this environment for the first time. The potential to make life-threatening mistakes is enormous. YOU NEED TO BE FULLY AWAKE TO BE SAFE. GETTING UP AT FOUR IN THE MORNING, FOR SOMETIMES WEEKS ON END DOES NOT CONTRIBUTE TO FLIGHT SAFETY. THAT'S THE BOTTOM LINE. AND COMPANIES CONTINUE TO GET AWAY WITH IT BECAUSE THEY'VE DONE THE RISK/REWARD ASSESSMENT AND THEY THINK THEY CAN. And people like you tell them to go right ahead........