The Appeal
In many many ways Peter Sutch was the best and the worst.
When he really really needed all of us he gave away the world. This was definitely the start of an era when many thought they didn't need fragrance to clear the toilet smell.
At the time, the head of the AOA used his 'fish heads and rice' analogy when confronted with what he thought was an insulting payrise offer. And yes he was one of the recent claimants.
When the company wrote a cheque for HKD35m as a provident fund payout to someone who was earning a total package of USD 600k (including housing, C&T etc) there was a realisaton that things were a little bit out of control,especially when SQ was running a tech crew budget per capita of half ours. A time when 12 of the top 12 earners in CX were pilots.
No excuse for the behaviour but a little perspective is in order.
In some ways we ( the profession that is) bear some responsibility. Don't always look up for blame, sometimes look sideways.
This does not mean much to most of the current guys and gals but a little history can go a long way in the healing process.
When he really really needed all of us he gave away the world. This was definitely the start of an era when many thought they didn't need fragrance to clear the toilet smell.
At the time, the head of the AOA used his 'fish heads and rice' analogy when confronted with what he thought was an insulting payrise offer. And yes he was one of the recent claimants.
When the company wrote a cheque for HKD35m as a provident fund payout to someone who was earning a total package of USD 600k (including housing, C&T etc) there was a realisaton that things were a little bit out of control,especially when SQ was running a tech crew budget per capita of half ours. A time when 12 of the top 12 earners in CX were pilots.
No excuse for the behaviour but a little perspective is in order.
In some ways we ( the profession that is) bear some responsibility. Don't always look up for blame, sometimes look sideways.
This does not mean much to most of the current guys and gals but a little history can go a long way in the healing process.
Join Date: Aug 2007
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A time when 12 of the top 12 earners in CX were pilots.
When one of our office basher leaders has a bad day and misplaces a paperclip, he can call a conference, bring in consultants, do some creative accounting, take it out of the profit share or just sneeze and go home sick while he works out how to explain said missing paperclip.
Their job is really not that hard. Many of us could do theirs, but how many of them could do ours? (Rhetorical question btw!)
When we have a bad day in the office, which thankfully does not happen often, after we've pulled the sheepskin back out of the orifice into which it has just been sucked, we get on with doing what we do well - getting people back on the ground safely.
We need to remember that as much as paper pushers think we get over paid for just sitting on our @rse and pushing a few buttons, never forget we get paid for what we can do when the sh1t hits the fan.
The passengers in cases like that will never think we are overpaid.
Did the $35m by any chance go to a stunted little kiwi who had his leaving party in a phone box?
Join Date: Oct 2005
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In the 1980's CX was one big happy family. The rot set in when Peter Sutch and Mike Hardy ("No B Scales while I'm DFO!") were replaced by lesser mortals who had only their own selfish interests at heart.
Flight International's annual Airline Review says it all. Twenty years ago, the Boards of Directors of all the major, and minor, airlines would list 'Captain Bloggs' and 'Captain Snooks' on the lists. Now you are hard pressed to find one. All the directors are bean-counters, lawyers, time-servers and - shock horror - even a zoologist!
Why am I not surprised?
Flight International's annual Airline Review says it all. Twenty years ago, the Boards of Directors of all the major, and minor, airlines would list 'Captain Bloggs' and 'Captain Snooks' on the lists. Now you are hard pressed to find one. All the directors are bean-counters, lawyers, time-servers and - shock horror - even a zoologist!
Why am I not surprised?
Mephisto
Not the stunted one but he did get a big wad. There were half a dozen that scored over HKD30m, when it was real money. The biggest went to the blond (if receding) Aussie who started off as an F/E on the Electra.
Regrettably the 'paid for what we can do' argument went the way of the NDB letdown. The actuaries have taken over the asylum and the Black Swan has not appeared. Doesn't mean it won't but as long as the likes of Air Asia have yet to leave a smoking hole in the ground and degraded conditions haven't shown up in increased deaths per pax/km then the argument doesn't get traction any more.
I agree with your sentiments but sadly we are now in the very unsentimental world of mass transport.
Not the stunted one but he did get a big wad. There were half a dozen that scored over HKD30m, when it was real money. The biggest went to the blond (if receding) Aussie who started off as an F/E on the Electra.
Regrettably the 'paid for what we can do' argument went the way of the NDB letdown. The actuaries have taken over the asylum and the Black Swan has not appeared. Doesn't mean it won't but as long as the likes of Air Asia have yet to leave a smoking hole in the ground and degraded conditions haven't shown up in increased deaths per pax/km then the argument doesn't get traction any more.
I agree with your sentiments but sadly we are now in the very unsentimental world of mass transport.
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the smiling assassin
Who was the Taipan when the B scale, COSAP and all that stuff was brought in? Mr Sutch - the smiling assassin. While he walked around chatting to all, friendly to his pilots, buying his round in the Cathay Club, he set Red Oddington loose to start it off. Nobody should be in any doubt who was behind the attack on us.
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By the sound of it, with only one engine remaining and that was then stuck at around 70%, may or may not also have been shut down on finals, it sounds like the boys did an extremely good job.
Wheels and tyres are replaceable, lives are not.
Well done guys.
Wheels and tyres are replaceable, lives are not.
Well done guys.
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The appeal must be any day now?
I think thanks is due to all those who have supported the 49ers through almost 10yr of pain and anguish, and to the 49er's who stayed the course and lead the fight alone.
To the rest of you who didn't, including the AOA. Shame on you!
I read some of the bluff and bluster here, but how many of you have or would stand up to CX like all the 49er's and 140 or so included in the star chamber list who missed the cut.
Good luck at the appeal guy's.
I think thanks is due to all those who have supported the 49ers through almost 10yr of pain and anguish, and to the 49er's who stayed the course and lead the fight alone.
To the rest of you who didn't, including the AOA. Shame on you!
I read some of the bluff and bluster here, but how many of you have or would stand up to CX like all the 49er's and 140 or so included in the star chamber list who missed the cut.
Good luck at the appeal guy's.