jbay, we've all got bills to pay, and we didn't light this fire again actually - SAA did when they asked for (another) R6000000000 (that is a f**kton of money, seriously. Wow...just...wow. Not that they'll get it all. Be prepared for epic ignition if they do
) I'm not having a go at you, but what riles us is that you get more money to do it with (so it's not like that means you've got any more reason than us to moan about that stuff), taken from that massive chunk of our salaries that goes to tax....well, we don't like seeing it wasted. Nor do you. Not just on a company like SAA - on anything the government sees fit to piss our money away on. You know the feeling, as you've said.
SAA is just one, avoidable (IMHO) item in that long list. Not only do we also see ourselves also having to pay for everything that our taxes should get, to add insult to injury we have to sponsor you guys. Your next paycheck - just think, a tiny little fraction was paid by me personally, and a noticeable fraction by the company I work for. You must understand how that can be irritating surely? And you (again, IMHO) are trying to defend the indefensible. Loyalty to ones company is an admirable trait, within reason however. I (and, it seems, many others) think SAA has stepped beyond the bounds of reason in this regard. Surely you can appreciate this view as more than just 'bashing SAA'? Don't you think there is some merit to the argument against state sponsorship of a company that should be able to survive unaided?
My beef isn't with you personally of course - although I do believe that if you (any SAA pilot) wants to feel genuine pride in your airline again, YOU need to be agitating from within for change - YOU need to be advocating that your company stands on your own two feet - many of you may well do that, I don't know.
So.....that brewsky you offered.....the bottom line is, you're buying
P.S. I don't want to work for SAA - seriously, no CV in there. Happy where I am, thanks. Anyone know what the breakdown of domestic airline traffic in SA is? Pax numbers, aircraft movements etc?