Impulse Pilots - What A Deal!
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Maybe I was 'slow' in getting the message. Maybe I didn't push my elected members in AIPA hard enough. No more. I'm sure that now AIPA would be welcoming calls from ANY pilot member of Eastern, Sunstate and Impulse.
Whether there is truth to that or just wishful thinking I guess time will tell.
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Am I a sore loser..you bet I am!
I could sit back and say I'm alright jack it's not really going to affect me. The fact is, the people I fly with day in day out, have just seen their promotional prospects go down the toilet. What have they done to deserve this, they just happen to be Qantas pilots, that's all. Most have been employed a lot longer by Qantas than the IPG, who had nothing to do with the company a few short years ago.
Yet all of a sudden Qantas decides to buy 23 brand new jets, but hold on... they will not be crewed by Qantas pilots!
Was the Impulse of 3 years ago about to buy 23 A320's? I doubt it.
Yeah I'm pissed off!
And to add insult to injury, Alan Joyce says he doesn't want Qantas pilots onboard because they might 'pollute' the culture of the new airline!
So there you go guys, thats what management think of your efforts.
On the above point Impulse people, don't for a minute think that thats not how they'll regard you in a few years time, when all the backslapping is over and you're negotiating you're next EBA.
I could sit back and say I'm alright jack it's not really going to affect me. The fact is, the people I fly with day in day out, have just seen their promotional prospects go down the toilet. What have they done to deserve this, they just happen to be Qantas pilots, that's all. Most have been employed a lot longer by Qantas than the IPG, who had nothing to do with the company a few short years ago.
Yet all of a sudden Qantas decides to buy 23 brand new jets, but hold on... they will not be crewed by Qantas pilots!
Was the Impulse of 3 years ago about to buy 23 A320's? I doubt it.
Yeah I'm pissed off!
And to add insult to injury, Alan Joyce says he doesn't want Qantas pilots onboard because they might 'pollute' the culture of the new airline!
So there you go guys, thats what management think of your efforts.
On the above point Impulse people, don't for a minute think that thats not how they'll regard you in a few years time, when all the backslapping is over and you're negotiating you're next EBA.
Nunc est bibendum
Pick up the phone!
PD, give AIPA a call. Don't rely on the scuttle butt. The phone number is available at AIPA and follow the thinks to 'contact us'. If that doesn't work, send me a PM and I'll give them a call and then get back to you.
Did I mention that as well as pushing my own blokes currently in to tell the 'other' pilots that we need to represent them that I'm I'm also going to push every bloke that is in a job and NOT represented to get some representation- of the type that doesn't get played off against another pilot group due to having a gun to it's head!
Did I mention that as well as pushing my own blokes currently in to tell the 'other' pilots that we need to represent them that I'm I'm also going to push every bloke that is in a job and NOT represented to get some representation- of the type that doesn't get played off against another pilot group due to having a gun to it's head!
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Well I have a few mates in the Pulse and they are very suspicious of AIPA, probably more so than they are of management.
They are not silly. They know AIPA is only rolling out the red carpet now the good ship mainline has taken a big one under the plimsoll line. Not much trust there and they know if they get in bed with AIPA then they may be worse off down the line when GD seeks payback.
The mainline pilots clapped a senior QF management type at a pilots meeting a few months ago when he gave the meeting a whole lot of feel good platitudes. How naive/stupid can you get? We only have ourselves to blame.
They are not silly. They know AIPA is only rolling out the red carpet now the good ship mainline has taken a big one under the plimsoll line. Not much trust there and they know if they get in bed with AIPA then they may be worse off down the line when GD seeks payback.
The mainline pilots clapped a senior QF management type at a pilots meeting a few months ago when he gave the meeting a whole lot of feel good platitudes. How naive/stupid can you get? We only have ourselves to blame.
Nunc est bibendum
Bonvol, suspicion I can understand entirely. We are talking about the same pilot group that has overtly or casualy ignored the IPG for too long now but I take issue with your aspersion that AIPA is rolling out the red carpet to 'do over' the IPG. Yes, the members of AIPA are concerned about what the developments at JetStar mean for pilots pay and conditions in Australia now and into the future. It doesn't matter what the reason is for AIPA representing the IPG (and Sunnies and Easterns), the point is that it makes good sense now and into the future.
I'm not a COM member and I don't speak for AIPA. As a member of AIPA I voice these opinions as to what I reckon AIPA can do for all of us. United we stand. Divided is a race to the bottom and see who will fly for the least amount of money.
I'm not a COM member and I don't speak for AIPA. As a member of AIPA I voice these opinions as to what I reckon AIPA can do for all of us. United we stand. Divided is a race to the bottom and see who will fly for the least amount of money.
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Keg, its not my aspersion, its theirs. Trust once gone is hard if not impossible to get back
It made good sense ages ago and it makes more sense now to unify all the pilots in Australia. Its just a shame AIPA wasn't more active in helping the Pulse,Eastern etc drivers before it went pear shaped.
I fear its too little too late now.
It made good sense ages ago and it makes more sense now to unify all the pilots in Australia. Its just a shame AIPA wasn't more active in helping the Pulse,Eastern etc drivers before it went pear shaped.
I fear its too little too late now.
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It's never too late!!!
As a former Union Safety Chairman based in JFK, who worked hard at national level and learned from the mistakes of the past, I simply have to say, "It's never too late!"
Some years ago, Mr Robert Crandall, the then CEO of American, bought up a bunch of commuters.
He held separate collective bargaining agreements with each of the airlines, whereby he would lay-off at one to give routes to another that gave concessions. Sound familiar?
Finally a long and arduous part of labour relations came to an end when the courts agreed they all had to be regarded as the same collective bargaining agreement. Children of airline pilots were eligible for free school lunches and for the first three years of employment, some States allowed these same families to collect food stamps.
I'm not quite sure how bad it has to get in Australia before the brotherhood of aviation has to combine and get together before the whole system falls apart.
From an air-safety perspective, you may find that in the generations to come, enthusiastic and talented pilots will leave the industry to pursue other professions. What you might be left with as captains, are those that might never have been accepted for upgrade.
To the AIPA, I would say, "Get off your backsides and raid the crewrooms at Eastern, Sunstate and Impulse". Asking them to simply, "drop you a line", is just bulls-hit.
To the guys at Impulse, don't give it all away. You must ask for mainline seniority rights at a deadline in the future.
This is what happened here in America with "flow-through" agreements. It does work, you are all on the same team, get on with it and forget about who's screwing who!!
If you need me to broker a deal or act as a mediator, I will go down there and do it for nothing. Don't expect me to come back and work there though, I'm too settled here.
Some years ago, Mr Robert Crandall, the then CEO of American, bought up a bunch of commuters.
He held separate collective bargaining agreements with each of the airlines, whereby he would lay-off at one to give routes to another that gave concessions. Sound familiar?
Finally a long and arduous part of labour relations came to an end when the courts agreed they all had to be regarded as the same collective bargaining agreement. Children of airline pilots were eligible for free school lunches and for the first three years of employment, some States allowed these same families to collect food stamps.
I'm not quite sure how bad it has to get in Australia before the brotherhood of aviation has to combine and get together before the whole system falls apart.
From an air-safety perspective, you may find that in the generations to come, enthusiastic and talented pilots will leave the industry to pursue other professions. What you might be left with as captains, are those that might never have been accepted for upgrade.
To the AIPA, I would say, "Get off your backsides and raid the crewrooms at Eastern, Sunstate and Impulse". Asking them to simply, "drop you a line", is just bulls-hit.
To the guys at Impulse, don't give it all away. You must ask for mainline seniority rights at a deadline in the future.
This is what happened here in America with "flow-through" agreements. It does work, you are all on the same team, get on with it and forget about who's screwing who!!
If you need me to broker a deal or act as a mediator, I will go down there and do it for nothing. Don't expect me to come back and work there though, I'm too settled here.
Nunc est bibendum
Bonvol, my apologies...should have read 'the aspersion', not 'yours'. As I said, I can understand the feeling but it is based on mis-information (from QF?) and 'previous' issues. It's a backward looking position and not a forward looking one and THAT is the issue that pilots in Australia have to change. We have to build a bridge, get over it and move forward for ALL our benefit.
Chris, nice post although there are some small legal issues WRT 'raiding' the crew rooms.
I'm not full bottle on them but I agree in principle with the aim. It's important for the word to get out there that AIPA is serious about representing QF group pilots- and who knows from there!! 
There ARE issues to be sorted out for this to work out but lets not walk away from what could be a very mutually beneficial deal just because there is some work to do and disagreement along the way. The destination is the important thing, how we get there isn't as important as getting there as quickly as we can.
Chris, nice post although there are some small legal issues WRT 'raiding' the crew rooms.
I'm not full bottle on them but I agree in principle with the aim. It's important for the word to get out there that AIPA is serious about representing QF group pilots- and who knows from there!! There ARE issues to be sorted out for this to work out but lets not walk away from what could be a very mutually beneficial deal just because there is some work to do and disagreement along the way. The destination is the important thing, how we get there isn't as important as getting there as quickly as we can.
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Keg,
No worries mate.
Maybe this is the watershed that may lead to the reunification of Australia's professional pilots. If we remain divided then we are stuffed I reckon. RH and the committee sure have a job ahead of them though.
No worries mate.
Maybe this is the watershed that may lead to the reunification of Australia's professional pilots. If we remain divided then we are stuffed I reckon. RH and the committee sure have a job ahead of them though.
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Keg,
Whilst I appreciate your perspective, I really think you should stop wasting your time explaining our position on pprune. From what I have gathered the only people reading this have no idea and are rubbing their hands with glee that the last decent job in Austalian aviation is under threat. If you want to talk to someone talk to AIPA. Short of that, get over it.
Army of one.
Whilst I appreciate your perspective, I really think you should stop wasting your time explaining our position on pprune. From what I have gathered the only people reading this have no idea and are rubbing their hands with glee that the last decent job in Austalian aviation is under threat. If you want to talk to someone talk to AIPA. Short of that, get over it.
Army of one.
Qfpaypacket,
The erosion of conditions within Oz aviation affects us all. I guess the sad reality for many of us jet jockey wannabes is that we may actually be witnessing the end of the 'holy grail' Oz job. Still, this a situation we must all deal with whichever rung of the latter each of us are currently holding onto.
Keg,
thanks for the info and updates, us drivers at the dawn of our airline careers do appreciate yours and others posts; Particularly when they are void of personal attacks.
The erosion of conditions within Oz aviation affects us all. I guess the sad reality for many of us jet jockey wannabes is that we may actually be witnessing the end of the 'holy grail' Oz job. Still, this a situation we must all deal with whichever rung of the latter each of us are currently holding onto.
Keg,
thanks for the info and updates, us drivers at the dawn of our airline careers do appreciate yours and others posts; Particularly when they are void of personal attacks.
Nunc est bibendum
QFPP, I understand the sentiment but I refuse to believe that being an 'Army of One' is the ONLY solution available to us. Yes, there have been those on PPRUNE who are glad to see 'us' get 'done over' but there are others who believe they were just protecting themselves.
The problem with AIPA and QF mainline crew is that for too long we have let the fartsock's and others define who we are to the rest of the Aussie flying fraternity. I love my job and I want nothing more than a command in Sydney as quick as I can. Part of me would have loved for ALL of the LCC slots to come to QF mainline so that the IPG could join our ranks and have the prospect of being on more money immediately (for the former F/Os and now new S/Os) and on more money in two or three years time as a F/O then they were as a Captain with Impulse. Alas, not to be. What I want to see now is the Jetstar pay and conditions at LEAST at DJ rates and I want to see DJ rates dragged up to close to QF rates.
What we seem to be missing in all of this is that all of our respective employers are making great profits. QF is probably heading for a record- at the same time as repaying large amounts of debt (gut feeling!). In the mean time, we cut each other off at the knees to make our management richer.
Yeah, I'm an army of one- but it isn't going to be to cost the airline more by burning their fuel, etc. It is going to be by working my backside off to ensure that QF group pilots are paid a decent amount of money for the 'reputation of safety, service, etc' that QF enjoys playing on so much!
BTW, I email and talk to COM members a fair bit. I'm not on the COM but that doesn't mean that I'm not doing my bit!
The problem with AIPA and QF mainline crew is that for too long we have let the fartsock's and others define who we are to the rest of the Aussie flying fraternity. I love my job and I want nothing more than a command in Sydney as quick as I can. Part of me would have loved for ALL of the LCC slots to come to QF mainline so that the IPG could join our ranks and have the prospect of being on more money immediately (for the former F/Os and now new S/Os) and on more money in two or three years time as a F/O then they were as a Captain with Impulse. Alas, not to be. What I want to see now is the Jetstar pay and conditions at LEAST at DJ rates and I want to see DJ rates dragged up to close to QF rates.
What we seem to be missing in all of this is that all of our respective employers are making great profits. QF is probably heading for a record- at the same time as repaying large amounts of debt (gut feeling!). In the mean time, we cut each other off at the knees to make our management richer.
Yeah, I'm an army of one- but it isn't going to be to cost the airline more by burning their fuel, etc. It is going to be by working my backside off to ensure that QF group pilots are paid a decent amount of money for the 'reputation of safety, service, etc' that QF enjoys playing on so much!
BTW, I email and talk to COM members a fair bit. I'm not on the COM but that doesn't mean that I'm not doing my bit!
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“From what I have gathered the only people reading this have no idea and are rubbing their hands with glee that the last decent job in Austalian aviation is under threat”
Qfpaypacket.
Most pilots working in Asia, Europe and America would probably agree that you appear to have no idea.
The forces at play in the global airline industry have arrived in Australia and will have a huge impact on Qantas and the way it does business. These forces are way beyond the scope of mere pilots – the sooner you realize this the sooner you will be able to abandon your futile stance and start working on a more realistic strategy to ensure your future participation in the industry is assured.
You refer to QF as being the “last decent job” in Australia. Decent for you maybe but such a comment simply highlights your arrogance – maybe there is a reason people are “rubbing their hands with glee”. Your sentiments, not mine.
Thunderbox,
“A victory for sure, but most assuredly a pyyric one at that”.
By using the word victory you are implying a condition of conflict. Why. This is not a zero sum game. An “us versus them” approach will add no value to your cause. Jetstar will grow the market, as Virgin did and will certainly provide more jobs in the industry for pilots.
Qfpaypacket.
Most pilots working in Asia, Europe and America would probably agree that you appear to have no idea.
The forces at play in the global airline industry have arrived in Australia and will have a huge impact on Qantas and the way it does business. These forces are way beyond the scope of mere pilots – the sooner you realize this the sooner you will be able to abandon your futile stance and start working on a more realistic strategy to ensure your future participation in the industry is assured.
You refer to QF as being the “last decent job” in Australia. Decent for you maybe but such a comment simply highlights your arrogance – maybe there is a reason people are “rubbing their hands with glee”. Your sentiments, not mine.
Thunderbox,
“A victory for sure, but most assuredly a pyyric one at that”.
By using the word victory you are implying a condition of conflict. Why. This is not a zero sum game. An “us versus them” approach will add no value to your cause. Jetstar will grow the market, as Virgin did and will certainly provide more jobs in the industry for pilots.
Thread Starter
There is a lot of positivity from the various protangonists in this thread. With a cyclic upswing for pilots here without many realising, I hope you all play your cards well.
A few detractors and tangents when we get personal. Am guilty myself and shall resist temptation to have a jab at Cadets, S/O's and Virgin Blue.
Red Hot Chili
Subjective of course. The last decent job in Australia was Ansett with a 5 year command prospect and prior AirNZ investment ( sic ).
The prospect of 4 sectors a day, an affordable lifestyle in Sunbury, is death by a thousand cuts IMHO.
A few detractors and tangents when we get personal. Am guilty myself and shall resist temptation to have a jab at Cadets, S/O's and Virgin Blue.
Red Hot Chili
Subjective of course. The last decent job in Australia was Ansett with a 5 year command prospect and prior AirNZ investment ( sic ).
The prospect of 4 sectors a day, an affordable lifestyle in Sunbury, is death by a thousand cuts IMHO.
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It must be obvious by now to all and sundry, Professional Pilots in this country are being done like a dinner by the likes of Dicko and Godbotherer etc.
By my reckoning it must be about 1 minute to midnight on the clock of total annihilation of this profession in Oz.
There is only one way out for us now...Unity. We may not like each other all that much, but if we cannot get this simple concept into our heads, we're gone.
What must happen is this...somehow AIPA and AFAP must reunite immediately. How this will occur I don't know, I'm not a lawyer. Please spare me the history lessons on the original split, I'm aware of them.
This Asscociation/Federation must then go all out to get coverage of everyone...from CPL's and up.
Smarter people than myself can work out the details.
The clock is ticking!
By my reckoning it must be about 1 minute to midnight on the clock of total annihilation of this profession in Oz.
There is only one way out for us now...Unity. We may not like each other all that much, but if we cannot get this simple concept into our heads, we're gone.
What must happen is this...somehow AIPA and AFAP must reunite immediately. How this will occur I don't know, I'm not a lawyer. Please spare me the history lessons on the original split, I'm aware of them.
This Asscociation/Federation must then go all out to get coverage of everyone...from CPL's and up.
Smarter people than myself can work out the details.
The clock is ticking!
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the only bloke making any sense on this topic is the Gnadenburger. it's supply and demand gents whether you like it or not. the AOA have finally realised this fact up here and BA are starting to understand what a "reality check" entails.
thunderbox - you are the proverbial comedian and your posts have given me a good old belly laugh!
There is only one way out for us now...Unity. We may not like each other all that much, - the oxymoron award of the month.
What must happen is this...somehow AIPA and AFAP must reunite immediately. - would that be the same as "Patricks and the waterside workers union should bury the hatchet and join together for a massive pi$$ up at Paddy O'Reillys."
I could sit back and say I'm alright jack it's not really going to affect me. and Smarter people than myself can work out the details.
. good idea mate, just sit in that left seat and let the young blokes work it all out.
thunderbox - you are the proverbial comedian and your posts have given me a good old belly laugh!
There is only one way out for us now...Unity. We may not like each other all that much, - the oxymoron award of the month.
What must happen is this...somehow AIPA and AFAP must reunite immediately. - would that be the same as "Patricks and the waterside workers union should bury the hatchet and join together for a massive pi$$ up at Paddy O'Reillys."
I could sit back and say I'm alright jack it's not really going to affect me. and Smarter people than myself can work out the details.
. good idea mate, just sit in that left seat and let the young blokes work it all out.
Moderate, Modest & Mild.
Red Hot Chili Pepper wrote"By using the word victory you are implying a condition of conflict. Why. This is not a zero sum game. An “us versus them” approach will add no value to your cause."
It's interesting that you have made this observation, as it is one that has also been made of airline managements in other countries, eg Singapore Airlines, when the outgoing (voted out) Vice President of Industrial Relations for the Airline Pilots' Association of Singapore (ALPA-S), recently stated, "Employers must look at employees as a partner - not an adversary".
Sun Tzu's "Art of War" appears to have become the handbook many airline executives have chosen, as the basis for their modus operandi when dealing with their staff - Oldmeadow (ex-AN, now QF) having been a long time exponent - to the overall detriment of the companies, but for the short term, financial boom of upper level management.
In the same paragraph, Red Hot Chili Pepper continues, "Jetstar will grow the market, as Virgin did and will certainly provide more jobs in the industry for pilots."
.....and that is certainly the intention, however "the market" (that is) being grown is one of lower paid, less united pilots.
There is NO reason that the commercial market could not have been grown in the same manner, had QANTAS invested the same money in QANDOM, or Australian, without the added expense of setting up yet another company, and ANOTHER management structure (aka "empire building", or adding another wing to Bulls-hit Castle).
Sorry, did I say NO reason? In fact there are at least 2 - one, of course, being the creation of more highly paid executive salaried positions - complete with bonuses - , which will be funded by the lower paid staff employed. And another being the NECESSARY EXCLUSION of AIPA pilot representation to ensure the lower salaries of pilots.
Needless to say, F/A's - who are also an easily identifiable cost - will also be working at Jet Star for less than their QANTAS counterparts.
Expect to see Jet Star pilots being trickle-fed into the QF mainline system within the next few years.
The little glee clubs set up by pilots of each and every airline are NOT working too well, are they?!
If Aussie (and New Zealand now needs to be included, I believe) pilots are to protect themselves from (a) managements that are interested only in REDUCING workers' conditions to over-reward themselves, and (b) pilots from themselves, then Thunderbox's proposal of ALL professional pilots being represented by one national body is the very FIRST step that must be taken.
It's interesting that you have made this observation, as it is one that has also been made of airline managements in other countries, eg Singapore Airlines, when the outgoing (voted out) Vice President of Industrial Relations for the Airline Pilots' Association of Singapore (ALPA-S), recently stated, "Employers must look at employees as a partner - not an adversary".
Sun Tzu's "Art of War" appears to have become the handbook many airline executives have chosen, as the basis for their modus operandi when dealing with their staff - Oldmeadow (ex-AN, now QF) having been a long time exponent - to the overall detriment of the companies, but for the short term, financial boom of upper level management.
In the same paragraph, Red Hot Chili Pepper continues, "Jetstar will grow the market, as Virgin did and will certainly provide more jobs in the industry for pilots."
.....and that is certainly the intention, however "the market" (that is) being grown is one of lower paid, less united pilots.
There is NO reason that the commercial market could not have been grown in the same manner, had QANTAS invested the same money in QANDOM, or Australian, without the added expense of setting up yet another company, and ANOTHER management structure (aka "empire building", or adding another wing to Bulls-hit Castle).
Sorry, did I say NO reason? In fact there are at least 2 - one, of course, being the creation of more highly paid executive salaried positions - complete with bonuses - , which will be funded by the lower paid staff employed. And another being the NECESSARY EXCLUSION of AIPA pilot representation to ensure the lower salaries of pilots.
Needless to say, F/A's - who are also an easily identifiable cost - will also be working at Jet Star for less than their QANTAS counterparts.
Expect to see Jet Star pilots being trickle-fed into the QF mainline system within the next few years.
The little glee clubs set up by pilots of each and every airline are NOT working too well, are they?!
If Aussie (and New Zealand now needs to be included, I believe) pilots are to protect themselves from (a) managements that are interested only in REDUCING workers' conditions to over-reward themselves, and (b) pilots from themselves, then Thunderbox's proposal of ALL professional pilots being represented by one national body is the very FIRST step that must be taken.
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Mediate....you simply must.
The very conflicts that you have observed here are present in every corporate structure in the world. Pilots by nature tend to be structured, left-brain types, that don't "give as much" as we all might think we do.
Dixon is smarter than any airline executive you've ever seen, and sadly he read the book from the experiences of American deregulation where 136 airlines have gone bankrupt since 1983. The economic reality and some of the spite you are seeing about the "new age" and Qantas staff being "old age", has an element of truth.This was true of Braniff, Eastern, Midway and Pan Am as well.
If you don't hold onto the holy grail of assured financial security at a place like Qantas, believe me, ALL of you will regret it!!
If Qantas can't be allowed to enjoy some traditional financial security, strong union representation, admiration from their peers and a degree of respect from other pilots in the industry, you will see a sliding slope in the airline culture that will be just as bad as the dark days of America.
An airline here, USAirways, crashed five aircraft in five years. They were operating under a bankruptcy provision of American Law called Chapter 11, emerged, and will go back into bankruptcy by January. I accepted a job there briefly to try and help them work some things out, I taught the 75/767. It was a losing proposition.
We now have advertisements in Flying Magazine that quote fresh faced kids saying, "I couldn't fly eighteen months ago and now I am an airline pilot".
Is this where you want your industry to go in five years from now?
I was a baggage boy at Oxley Airlines, I flew a C-172 back from New Zealand to Australia, I flew mail out of Alice Springs for Chartair. Don't tell me I'm a bloody yank, and don't know what I'm talking about.
I know Jon Pickett at Impulse, he's a really great guy! Former RAAF who used to fly 36 Sqn C-130s to the South Pole. Don't bull-**** me he's not worthy!
Qantas is the greatest airline in the world. Why? Because I'm an Australian and I bloody well said so! I don't work there, never will, I love my job flying corporate for Netjets.
You guys know why Dixon is so smart?
He thought you'd be too busy fighting with each other to be a formidable unified opponent.
He might be right!
Dixon is smarter than any airline executive you've ever seen, and sadly he read the book from the experiences of American deregulation where 136 airlines have gone bankrupt since 1983. The economic reality and some of the spite you are seeing about the "new age" and Qantas staff being "old age", has an element of truth.This was true of Braniff, Eastern, Midway and Pan Am as well.
If you don't hold onto the holy grail of assured financial security at a place like Qantas, believe me, ALL of you will regret it!!
If Qantas can't be allowed to enjoy some traditional financial security, strong union representation, admiration from their peers and a degree of respect from other pilots in the industry, you will see a sliding slope in the airline culture that will be just as bad as the dark days of America.
An airline here, USAirways, crashed five aircraft in five years. They were operating under a bankruptcy provision of American Law called Chapter 11, emerged, and will go back into bankruptcy by January. I accepted a job there briefly to try and help them work some things out, I taught the 75/767. It was a losing proposition.
We now have advertisements in Flying Magazine that quote fresh faced kids saying, "I couldn't fly eighteen months ago and now I am an airline pilot".
Is this where you want your industry to go in five years from now?
I was a baggage boy at Oxley Airlines, I flew a C-172 back from New Zealand to Australia, I flew mail out of Alice Springs for Chartair. Don't tell me I'm a bloody yank, and don't know what I'm talking about.
I know Jon Pickett at Impulse, he's a really great guy! Former RAAF who used to fly 36 Sqn C-130s to the South Pole. Don't bull-**** me he's not worthy!
Qantas is the greatest airline in the world. Why? Because I'm an Australian and I bloody well said so! I don't work there, never will, I love my job flying corporate for Netjets.
You guys know why Dixon is so smart?
He thought you'd be too busy fighting with each other to be a formidable unified opponent.
He might be right!
Last edited by Chris Higgins; 16th Dec 2003 at 08:44.