The apparent glee about operators failing

[Capt Claret]

lk978, in this thread (http://www.pprune.org/d-g-reporting-points/364117-tiger-trouble.html), asked, Why are there so many posts with a gleefull tone about airlines in trouble.

Whilst the apparent glee is distasteful, I suspect it is not really glee.

There is a phenomenon in human behaviour, particularly after disasters in which there is a loss of life, to make jokes about said loss. For example, within hours of of one of the space shuttle explosions, the joke about NASA standing for Need Another Seven Astronauts did the rounds. It is about the survivors, or people not even closely involved, making light of the situation to hide their fear of experiencing something similar.

Whilst one wouldn't condone the gleeful tone, quite rightly identified by lk978, I do wonder if it's because a lot of people are worried about their jobs, and making light of those companies that have failed or are struggling, psychologically boosts their opinion of their own employers chances of surviving the GFC.

[oziatc]

Sadly as people express this fear or glee it fuels peoples perceptions of uncertainty. Whilst my pseudonym gives away that I am ATC and I would suggest our current negotiations may have also been affected, it concerns me that idle rumours affect other businesses not directly related to the one being disparaged!
The last thing we want to encourage is a downturn in the industry! Lets not become self fulfilling prophets!
As certain airlines are "targeted" fearful individuals will either fly with someone else or even suggest others do so because "I've heard a rumour". As QANTAS recently have found once a brand is damaged (by negative press or well publicised rumour) it takes a lot of work to restore peoples faith.
You all know how the rumour mill works.

Someone once related this story to me.....A minister had a parishioner who started a rumour about him to her girlfriends. When this rumour got about he confronted the parishioner and she apologised and stated that she would correct her misleading statements the next day. The minister replied...see with rumours its like this...if you went and got a feather pillow and shook out all of the feathers in the street, could you pick every feather up? Of course not she replied! Well its just like that with rumours...even if you try and gather every feather up there will always be some that get away. Therefore some peoples perception of me will be altered forever.

Sobbering huh!

I would suggest there may be some company boards looking for opportunities to benefit over the present crisis and dump jobs even before it touches their balance sheets. Corporate concience is an oxymoron in this day and age. So if you lot keep bashing one anothers airlines, you know what they say, what goes around comes around! Notwithstanding you probably have at least one of your mates flying for "the opposition"!

[tail wheel]

You tell me what to do?

A user starts a thread with a good, honest, factual statement - then totally destroys their credibility by drawing negative, ludicrous and absurd conclusions! :mad:

From some statements, claims and allegations made in PPRuNe by "professional pilots" I sometimes wonder where they got their license and alleged aeronautical experience! :mad:

How often do I open a new thread - Mods read them all - and mutter to self: "Oh, God, not another one........" :ugh:

We often do not have time to "clean up" or delete multiple posts in a thread and it is not policy to change an existing post unless necessary.

As a result threads which could be good topics for debate, are closed.

[Deaf]

even before it touches their balance sheets

That is when to do it, not leave it to the administrators/receivers

[tsalta]

Yeh Tail Wheel, but you also remove some very very funny stuff

[Capt Claret]

You tell me what to do?

What's your train of thought here? I don't quite follow.

[rescue 1]

I think that the vitriol we're reading on PPRUNE is the exact reason unity amongst pilots is not possible - period!

A number of threads since Christmas have highlighted to me, (and Capt Claret) that pilots are all about themselves...if another operator fails that secure's their own job, or justifies "something" in their own mind.

The collapse of any company is not good for the economy, not good for the industry and importantly is not good for our colleagues.

Keep it real.

[oziatc]

Deaf,
I think you missed my point. If you leave things until you need an administrator/ receiver you are a poor businessman/woman.

What I was suggesting is that there is a corporate world out there waiting for an excuse to TRIM staff, reduce salaries and maximise profits. The plans have been there for some time and have been awaiting a justifiable trigger. Now is such a time!
The benefit for any company in this position is that fear drives their current employees harder and productivity increases out of this fear.
Rumour plays into this management strategy! For the sake of your own jobs and that of your friends in the flying fraternity don't perpetuate rumours. There are some instances where facts need to surface and issues appropriately dealt with but you guys need to band together right now! I think the aviation scene here in Australia is one of the best in the world. SO DON'T TALK YOURSELVES OUT OF JOBS!


Please don't misinterpret my comments. I am not suggesting that you censor or stifle debate but be circumspect in what you write. You guys are smart enough to fly aircraft and be the envy of much of the Australian community, be smart enough to support your mates and the economy by promoting your companies rather than disparaging others!

All I am saying is Be Professional!:ok:

[Arnold E]

I'm with you Capt, I dont follow what the mod. is on about, would you care to elabourate?:uhoh:
(Yeah its already been pointed out to me I cant spell)

[TurboOtter]

I'm with the Capt. What is Tailwheel trying to say.
maybe he can explain why so many threads are closed, without anything all that bad said in them.

Remember now although we try and act professional, we're just pilots....
Born to winge. :p

As for glee about the closure of operators, I guess its just our way of dealing with a loss.

[Lodown]

I must admit to a sense of smug satisfaction that some of these companies (not only airlines) are experiencing terrible difficulties at present. I've been hoping that the end of the professional bean counter and cost cutter as CEO would be coming in preference again to the person who has real knowledge of the company and its markets. I wasn't anticipating such a precipitous change though. However, my feelings are tempered knowing that there are many other good companies and many, many individuals, totally undeserving of these conditions who are caught up in events. Warren Buffett is quoted in today's paper referencing companies caught up in the slide, "Participants seeking to dodge troubles face the same problem as someone seeking to avoid venereal disease: It's not just whom you sleep with, but also whom they are sleeping with."

[waren9]

Good point Lodown. I too, lament the way the industry has gone with bean counters now telling the flight ops teams and gingerbears whats happening and how to do it. It used to be somewhat the other way round.

Like most, particularly agrieved at managements efforts to save every last 50c especially when it comes to staff. Moral etc is not quantifiable by the bean counters and so its left to the HR types to pump us all full of those lovely fluffy warm fuzzy company communications

Unfortunately, I fear its a bit like politicians. Those who would actually be very good at the job are the very personality types least attracted to that sort of thing.

No pleasure at all however, from the thought of guys back on the street because the bean counters with heads full of university theory get it wrong.

[By George]

In my career so far Iv'e seen 3 charter companies collapse and 3 airline failures and one wife run off. Everytime I went on to bigger and better things and the new wife is younger and prettier. It's not the end of the world if you lose a job, its the start of something new.