Gentlemen, AF pilots are by no means opposed to change. That's a given. They are fully ready for major changes within their own ranks. Thing is you could turn the whole pilots population upside down, still that old lady AF would remain the same, i.e. HUGE, MASSIVE admin crowds, working as minimal time as they can, VERY unproductive ! Huge, monumental managerial population. Outstandingly costly as well !
Pilots have been crying out for change for the past 5 years. Leaner hierarchy, procedures and processes, the possibility to shift to Transavia are just examples. Plus they had to cope with retirement age limit jumping from 60 to 65 overnight. They signed for a new contract applying to low-cost type operations on remote bases in France ("Bases Province") implying 15% increase in productivity.
Today, they're offering French government and AF's new top management even more compensations, further negociations on cost reduction. Still our good old French way of managing is leading to..."no negociations at all" and "**** off" (Father Jack way). It's been many many moons since any relevant pilots strike really stuck aircraft on the ground (only strikes by some big-mouthed tiny unions now and then, barely noticeable...). So the government and AF's top management (working hand in hand) actually believe nobody will follow up on the call for strike. They really think Af's pilots are just a bunch of big swaggering babies who will walk back in for work, remaining deaf at their unions' call for war.
Of utmost frustration is how AF pilots are depicted as old barons that won't put up with mustard being taken away from their meal trays. That's unbareable as it is so far from truth !
One more thing and I'll cut the boring talking. 2 months into his "presidency", our new CEO received a nice bonus of 600,000 euros. Just 2 months ! Also, his army of top managers' salaries are supposed to be capped for 24 months. But that comes after constant, strong, if not massive, increases over the past few years, way beyond any other industry's standards. Our previous CEO had his board vote him a 46% increase in pay. Oh dear, aint' life beautiful !!!!
I could provide an endless list of crazy facts about the way this airline is "conducted" (or mis-conducted shoud I say). It would take me ages.
Last edited by AF jockey; 4th Feb 2012 at 16:06.
Reason: Change in phrasing