% Mac
Toss that joint away. It is obviously very poor quality grass you're smoking mate ! Or is it you are sniffing glue ?
400 000 Euro ??? Do you even realize what you are saying when UAL 777 Captains were supposed to have signed the best ever contract last year with a take home pay of 300 000 USD ?
Air France Senior Captains ( 744 / 777 ) will be lucky if they take 153 000 Euro net pay before income taxes and that's as far as it goes.
Average short haul Captain takes 100 000 Euros a year ( before income taxes that depends on marital status, children.... ) , 18 / 20 days on stick ( 850 block hours a year )with duty times up to 10:30 hours. I wouldn't call that a walk in the park even if if it is a lot better than some other slave drivers in the industry. But do have to outshine them ?? I think NOT.
Spreading this kind of unfounded and unverified rumors like you do is pathetic and I suggest you stick your head back to where the moon doesn't shine. I kind'o lose my civil tone when angry.
Get your bloody act together will you !
Applauding Lufthansa strike last year and bashing Air France today when it is for the exact same reason and actually less than the 26 % they got. Where is your logic if you have any ?
As to the compagny's performance : Only 3 airlines currently make money in the world and in the following order :
Singapore, Qantas, Air France, even forseeing an increase in revenue despite the ongoing strike. Air France is still heavily recruiting pilots and I feel sorry if you're not one of them. No, I'll rephrase, I feel blessed you are not one of them.
I know this gives you heart burns but I'm afraid you'll have to live with it.
For the last batch of ignorant twitts lurking around this site, EEC rules do not allow subsidising and Air France, although state owned does not, will not receive a dime. One exeption though with the aftermath of Set 11 that applied to everyone within the EAA.
Our salary has been frozen for the last 7 years and the only increase one is likely to see is moving up to a larger aircraft. Our pension system is a ( bad ) joke and should you get a similar one you'd be pretty pissed off to and you'd be right.
As to the specifics, well, it would be very tiresome to describe the inner union feuds that have been going on and I think a breach of discretion, but they take a good part in what in is happening now.
You can disagree all you like with that strike, hate Air France pilots with you guts ; I do not give a hoot. I however get rather volatile when all of this is based on a bewildering lack of knowledge and information about the airline, it's social, economic and historical context. You of course have all the right in the world not to be interested in which case I'd be most greatfull if you could shutt the f..k up !
As to the CX 49, you can be pretty sure that we wouldn't have let such an appaling farce happen, let alone for one person and I have to say that for all its shortcomings, Air France is not the sort of airline where this would happen, Thank God and we'll do everyting for it to stay that way.
Do not forget that people are taking a risk to and very well know what the consequences would be should things go wrong and they already have with the share plunging 7,5 %. Almost all pilots are shareholders having exchanged part of their salaries against stock in the airline since 1998 .
Who said striking was fun ? We all hate it, but there comes a time where it is the only option you've got having used all others. Backing off with you tail between your legs might an option, doesn't seem to be the chosen one in this case. Should I quote Von Clausewitz or is this going to be a bit much for you ?
Good grief, this is a professional forum talking facts and we're not in Salem burning witches !!
Last edited by wallabie; 8th Sep 2002 at 10:45.