Sun Air eclipse, we're gone
Guest
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Outjies,
Doesn't matter whether the majority shareholders are lack, pink, yellow or green, none of them can think any further than fattening their own wallets. "They had the best interests of the company at heart!" my ass!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Good luck to all of you back home, it is no better in the first world. Just had it done to me too!!!!!!!
Vasbyt!
Doesn't matter whether the majority shareholders are lack, pink, yellow or green, none of them can think any further than fattening their own wallets. "They had the best interests of the company at heart!" my ass!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Good luck to all of you back home, it is no better in the first world. Just had it done to me too!!!!!!!
Vasbyt!
Guest
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Jumbo mouse, sorry, you must be using a different list to mine!
Banoi, the purchase is not so much just the airline, but the licence to operate. If SAA buy Sunair, then the Sunair licence goes to SAA. If anyone else wants to now operate, they have to go the whole hog of applying for a new licence, which, financially is not too much of a problem, but can be dragged out for quite a while. So, by buying Sunair, and then closing it, SAA have effectively delayed Virgin,or any others, from buying a ready made and immediately operable entity.
While I feel for the pilots, and the anger they feel at SAA not recruiting them straight away, as with other staff, the reality is that SAA already has enough pilots, besides, many Sunair pilots had been interviewed by SAA in the past, but ended up working for another airline. It's a pity, but one FO salary will pay 9 FA salaries, and we need FAs, not FOs.
Again, that's only my opinion, if I"m still allowed to have one on this forum!
Banoi, the purchase is not so much just the airline, but the licence to operate. If SAA buy Sunair, then the Sunair licence goes to SAA. If anyone else wants to now operate, they have to go the whole hog of applying for a new licence, which, financially is not too much of a problem, but can be dragged out for quite a while. So, by buying Sunair, and then closing it, SAA have effectively delayed Virgin,or any others, from buying a ready made and immediately operable entity.
While I feel for the pilots, and the anger they feel at SAA not recruiting them straight away, as with other staff, the reality is that SAA already has enough pilots, besides, many Sunair pilots had been interviewed by SAA in the past, but ended up working for another airline. It's a pity, but one FO salary will pay 9 FA salaries, and we need FAs, not FOs.
Again, that's only my opinion, if I"m still allowed to have one on this forum!
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Skyvan, patriotic are we. Anyway should you not be flying your 737, since you have a job?
At this stage, the only reason SAA has a chance to clinch the deal, is due to the clandestine, underhanded dealings going on around you. In other words, you are in agreement that SAA's ploy was to cause turmoil, be it underhanded and possibly illegal! Time well tell and the truth will come very shortly in the media, SAA is surely going to once again EAT DUST!
May I also put this to you skyvan-the 737 you fly is not owned by SAA, but has been sold to a South American carrier and leased back, I hope the cash from the sale is not part of your great profit this year, short lived!
Don't take anything personally, but I do think that there are many people out there that know a lot more of the wheelings and dealings than a single person!!!
Enjoy your flight.
At this stage, the only reason SAA has a chance to clinch the deal, is due to the clandestine, underhanded dealings going on around you. In other words, you are in agreement that SAA's ploy was to cause turmoil, be it underhanded and possibly illegal! Time well tell and the truth will come very shortly in the media, SAA is surely going to once again EAT DUST!
May I also put this to you skyvan-the 737 you fly is not owned by SAA, but has been sold to a South American carrier and leased back, I hope the cash from the sale is not part of your great profit this year, short lived!
Don't take anything personally, but I do think that there are many people out there that know a lot more of the wheelings and dealings than a single person!!!
Enjoy your flight.
Guest
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Hi there jumbo Mouse and fellow Sun Air Drivers
I've been following the replies with some interest today - sure beats the local newspaper here! It is sad to see the dealings back there in SA and I guess it's reality hitting home again. What is really sad is to see it becoming a "mud-slinging" match between fellow aviators. Looking in from the outside may be easier, but I've been there - having to leave no fewer than 3 companies through no choice of mine. But looking back, whinging about it did not get me here onto an A340. One has to pick up the pieces and move on. It's no different anywhere else in the world. I feel for all those involved there, and I wish them all the best with their applications to Comair/BA. I was there on the 737 and thought highly of the company. I believe they will be around for a long time yet. Bear in mind the "little island" to the East is always taking on more FO's so post those CV's without delay. Hey, sky van, looks like you'll need to fly with your "flak-jacket" from now on?
jumbo Mouse, see you on Tues on the apron OK?
Au revoir................
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I've been following the replies with some interest today - sure beats the local newspaper here! It is sad to see the dealings back there in SA and I guess it's reality hitting home again. What is really sad is to see it becoming a "mud-slinging" match between fellow aviators. Looking in from the outside may be easier, but I've been there - having to leave no fewer than 3 companies through no choice of mine. But looking back, whinging about it did not get me here onto an A340. One has to pick up the pieces and move on. It's no different anywhere else in the world. I feel for all those involved there, and I wish them all the best with their applications to Comair/BA. I was there on the 737 and thought highly of the company. I believe they will be around for a long time yet. Bear in mind the "little island" to the East is always taking on more FO's so post those CV's without delay. Hey, sky van, looks like you'll need to fly with your "flak-jacket" from now on?
jumbo Mouse, see you on Tues on the apron OK?
Au revoir................
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Guest
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Jumbo mouse, I feel that a meeting in person with you would probably end in fisticuffs. As much as I feel for the pilots now out of work, Life goes on, if you don't like the way SAA does business, then get out of the airline business in SA. SAA will, by virtue of its size, position, and owners, have the upper hand in most situations, and is most likely to survive any protracted price war. Unfortunately, for you, in this case Sunair lost, and a lot of good people have been hurt. I hope they will all be on their feet again soon, even you.
To answer your last post,
a) I fly "my" 737 when rostered, not at your pleasure. Shouldn't you be updating and dispatching your CV?
b) If SAA used clandestine, underhanded dealing, I was not aware of it. I understood that the Competition Board were aware of the negotiations, and even approved of the deal. If SAA's ploy was to cause turmoil,(underhanded and possibly illegal) that would not be the actions of an internationally respected airline turnaround specialist.
c) If SAA don't own the 737's, so what, Sunair's 727's were leased from Safair. Most airlines don't own the A/C they operate. The only exception I am aware of is Nationwide.
d) Funny you should mention it being personal, I have tried to keep my posts as objective (for an employee of another airline) as possible. I'm sorry that my posts have triggered your vitirol switch, but I guess you have to vent the spleen somewhere. If you had wanted it to remain impersonal, you wouldn't have spent the time going through the seniority list to find out who I am. Maybe I should be flattered, or scared?
If you are connected to the ALPA-SA email list, you will see that SAA are providing Sunair pilots with rebated travel for job interviews. The last paragraph is quite illuminating, maybe you'd like me to post it here, or shall I forward it to your email?
Silverfox, welcome back, hope the holidays were good. Sure is bad news, but some take it personally. I'll leave the flakjacket at home, instructors have thick skins already!
Good comments, true advice. I guess the old adage of "always look forward" rings true.
Take care.
To answer your last post,
a) I fly "my" 737 when rostered, not at your pleasure. Shouldn't you be updating and dispatching your CV?
b) If SAA used clandestine, underhanded dealing, I was not aware of it. I understood that the Competition Board were aware of the negotiations, and even approved of the deal. If SAA's ploy was to cause turmoil,(underhanded and possibly illegal) that would not be the actions of an internationally respected airline turnaround specialist.
c) If SAA don't own the 737's, so what, Sunair's 727's were leased from Safair. Most airlines don't own the A/C they operate. The only exception I am aware of is Nationwide.
d) Funny you should mention it being personal, I have tried to keep my posts as objective (for an employee of another airline) as possible. I'm sorry that my posts have triggered your vitirol switch, but I guess you have to vent the spleen somewhere. If you had wanted it to remain impersonal, you wouldn't have spent the time going through the seniority list to find out who I am. Maybe I should be flattered, or scared?
If you are connected to the ALPA-SA email list, you will see that SAA are providing Sunair pilots with rebated travel for job interviews. The last paragraph is quite illuminating, maybe you'd like me to post it here, or shall I forward it to your email?
Silverfox, welcome back, hope the holidays were good. Sure is bad news, but some take it personally. I'll leave the flakjacket at home, instructors have thick skins already!
Good comments, true advice. I guess the old adage of "always look forward" rings true.
Take care.
Guest
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It seems to me that the negative energy from some of the ex-crew is being directed at the wrong people.Don't get me wrong I'm no fan Of SAA, but you would have to expect that they(The CEO, Skyvan, or any of the staff)have acted exactly as anyone with any business sense would have acted given the oportunity to clean out the opposition.
Whether it was fair, cruel, unfair, ugly or greedy is irrelevant. What is relevant is that the people running(sic) Sun Air; ie. Rethabile, and the General Manager and the operations staff should have seen the writing on the wall and should have acted in the interests of the company.
The fact that the imminent closure of the airline had been rumoured for some time should have been sufficient warning for management to step up to the plate and make the sort of decisions that were required.
Of course since we all knew just how incompetent those managers were leaves us and our inability to stand together with part of the blame.
Even more surprising are the attempts to now harness those incompetent managers into the fold of the staff attempt to resurrect the airline.
I say direct your energy at the people who were unable to keep a very good and viable company (I mean we only had 3 destinations and were carrying 60 000 passengers a month) profitable. I know some 8th graders who would have been able to achieve that, despite "price wars and unfair practices", but then they probably would not have been so intent on lining their own pockets or hiring their incompetent pals.
Whether it was fair, cruel, unfair, ugly or greedy is irrelevant. What is relevant is that the people running(sic) Sun Air; ie. Rethabile, and the General Manager and the operations staff should have seen the writing on the wall and should have acted in the interests of the company.
The fact that the imminent closure of the airline had been rumoured for some time should have been sufficient warning for management to step up to the plate and make the sort of decisions that were required.
Of course since we all knew just how incompetent those managers were leaves us and our inability to stand together with part of the blame.
Even more surprising are the attempts to now harness those incompetent managers into the fold of the staff attempt to resurrect the airline.
I say direct your energy at the people who were unable to keep a very good and viable company (I mean we only had 3 destinations and were carrying 60 000 passengers a month) profitable. I know some 8th graders who would have been able to achieve that, despite "price wars and unfair practices", but then they probably would not have been so intent on lining their own pockets or hiring their incompetent pals.
