Starone mate, I am sure there must be a good woman able to bring a smile on your face in your neck of the wood.
I was hoping that all the hard work we put in every day to be one of the very few keeping their head above the water would be met with a tad more than bitter mood.
Well, no such luck !!
Let me make something clear :
THE FRENCH ARE DOING SOMETHING RIGHT
I know I am only pouring acid on your ulcer, but it's just what's happening and I'll give you a bit of my very busy day to explain, although I know I am only wasting my time but there is Don Quichotte in me.
Air France has been playing the Brussel's rules since 1993 when it was on the verge of bankrupcy. I grant you that had it not been governement owned then I would probably not have the luxury to waste my time typing this message as I would need to make a living. But fate was good to me.
Air France was then given a 20 Billion Franc check to straighten up after not having received a penny from its main shareholder for more than 10 years.
On the subject I would like to remind you that BA just before being privatized, saw its debts taken care of by her Majesty's government allowing BA to look like a Virgin on the Stock Exchange ( BA........Virgin !! Get it ?? Cracking joke don't you think ??? ) Under normal capitalistic rules, BA was worth no more than the paper I use to wrap my fish and chips, so much for moralistic speech on economic affairs.
Second, people got the fright of their lives when they realized that going belly up was a lot more than a remote possiblity and did what they had to do, which is basically work I guess but more so with a chairman, Christian Blanc who had both balls like a bull and a vision he imposed on the government. In short, me or chaos. It's been done before in french history and it seems to do wonders !!
We now have a very balanced network, we are leaders in West Africa where a lot of oil compagnies seems to prefer flying with us rather than Angolan ( no offence ).
We have a good safety record ( do not test my good maners by bringing up Concorde ) and the service we provide, maybe lousy in your eyes, seems to please the travelling public.
The flleet has been rationalized and your allegations of us making any money flying to the french West Indies would make a wooden horse fart of laughter. Have you ever travelled to the french West Indies ???? I guess not, to imagine that there is money to be made there but we have to because of this philosophy called " territorial continuity " which basically means that wherever you live under the " tricolors " you must be able to move at a reasonable price !!! I know this is silly but this will still be going on long after you have started eating the dafodills by the root.
I think the hard thing for you to get used to is : well yes, the french get it right, those plodering arrogant migets who should stick to " talking to zeeeee girls " and discover the virtues of a bar of soap ! I think this is just what it comes to mate and I am so ever sorry that there is nothing I can do for you.
By the way, did I tell you about our raise ??? I'll save it for later, this may be a tad hard on you.
Last edited by wallabie; 23rd May 2003 at 03:21.