Pretending US airlines "first" class is first class
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Pretending US airlines "first" class is first class
Just because some US airlines name their slightly-better-than-economy seats or their slightly-premium economy seats as "first" class does not mean these are "first" class seats, just as the freighter seats do not constitute "business class" and why the freighter PXing is voluntary. Shall this argument and management's capitulation on the matter be brought up to the labour tribunal too?
The intent of "business class" is clear to everyone able to demonstrate common sense (obviously meaning "not economy" and comparable as much as possible to our own company's "business class"), including those choosing to ignore this intent, and all the customers and Skytrax voters and grievance adjudicators and judges in the world. If the management wants to play games like this for PT travel, don't they think there are many ways we can also play games that will increase direct and indirect costs? It never ceases to amaze me how they love to screw with those they should be screwing with the least: Not only are we relied upon at the pointy end to always keep things going, and going safely, but hundreds of USD per hour can be easily wasted by almost anyone, every hour of every flight every day. Yet, they want to save $200USD on a PT ticket every week or three. Really smart business.
Those calling for "negotiations" fail to comprehend who we are dealing with: Delay, deny, ignore, pretend, delay more, attach irrelevant conditions, change the topic, cancel, ignore, delay again, attempt to trade for other changes, threaten, complicate, challenge, delay again, snowball into insanity, ignore more, pretend to discuss, delay, and finally, do nothing...unless finally forced to by some outside force or remarkable combination of events that occurs once per decade. Then, when forced to do something for whatever reason, whatever the agreement becomes in the end: Don't abide by it professionally or respectfully, but instead reinterpret it, invent exceptions for it, rely on good will and/or fear (??) or just ignore it completely some or all of the time, and then let years go by again.
Isn't it time to put the list of company games and contract violations to those right above you-know-who's head and see who gets the last laugh when he ends up going to "pursue other interests" like the
he replaced? Oh, and stop waiting for "cordial" and "productive" meetings and just always go straight to court? How many examples does it take?
The intent of "business class" is clear to everyone able to demonstrate common sense (obviously meaning "not economy" and comparable as much as possible to our own company's "business class"), including those choosing to ignore this intent, and all the customers and Skytrax voters and grievance adjudicators and judges in the world. If the management wants to play games like this for PT travel, don't they think there are many ways we can also play games that will increase direct and indirect costs? It never ceases to amaze me how they love to screw with those they should be screwing with the least: Not only are we relied upon at the pointy end to always keep things going, and going safely, but hundreds of USD per hour can be easily wasted by almost anyone, every hour of every flight every day. Yet, they want to save $200USD on a PT ticket every week or three. Really smart business.
Those calling for "negotiations" fail to comprehend who we are dealing with: Delay, deny, ignore, pretend, delay more, attach irrelevant conditions, change the topic, cancel, ignore, delay again, attempt to trade for other changes, threaten, complicate, challenge, delay again, snowball into insanity, ignore more, pretend to discuss, delay, and finally, do nothing...unless finally forced to by some outside force or remarkable combination of events that occurs once per decade. Then, when forced to do something for whatever reason, whatever the agreement becomes in the end: Don't abide by it professionally or respectfully, but instead reinterpret it, invent exceptions for it, rely on good will and/or fear (??) or just ignore it completely some or all of the time, and then let years go by again.
Isn't it time to put the list of company games and contract violations to those right above you-know-who's head and see who gets the last laugh when he ends up going to "pursue other interests" like the
he replaced? Oh, and stop waiting for "cordial" and "productive" meetings and just always go straight to court? How many examples does it take?
Last edited by Iron Skillet; 30th Jul 2012 at 18:38.
Well said indeed. Who, at the very senior levels (ie Swires in London) thinks this is the way ahead?? We Should be colleagues and 'Brothers in Arms' shouldn't we?
We used to feel we were.
We used to feel we were.
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Isn't it time to put the list of company games and contract violations to those right above you-know-who's head and see who gets the last laugh when he ends up going to "pursue other interests" like the he replaced? Oh, and stop waiting for "cordial" and "productive" meetings and just always go straight to court? How many examples does it take?
The Swire of old is dead. The days of being invited to London for dinner with the boss are dead. The baton has been passed to a new generation of 'professional' managers whose goal is to maximize shareholder return in any way they legally can. The managers who have no honour and justify every means by the end have the FULL support of their superiors. Sorry guys, but I think punching this above the clowns in FOP will only get you a big yawn.
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Indeed, I recall some 3 months after I joined the company, I was joined by my wife in hk, and was very proudly on my way to the 747 classic sim to show her around, when Mike Hardy, our DFO, walking the opposite way towards us, not only knew my first name, and despite only meeting SWMBO 6 mths previously at the cocktail party, greeted her by name also and asked her how she was settling in.
How times have changed!
Bit off topic I know, but Skillet - spot on.
How times have changed!
Bit off topic I know, but Skillet - spot on.
Remember when you were 'entitled' to a brief meeting with the MD before going on annual leave? He would ask how things were going from our point of view aand wish us well for our holidays to come. Not everybody took up the offer but a lot did.Any suggestions were welcomed - after all, we were at the sharp end of the operation. I think it was that well known ( brilliant) BTC NB who suggested then that perhaps we could lower our fuel load if the ZFW dropped. How much has that saved the shareholders over the past 25 years?
Just saying this so that the new boys and girls know that CX wasn't always like this.
Well done to the Swire Princes, the 'Yes' men and the accountants.
You reap what you sow.
Just saying this so that the new boys and girls know that CX wasn't always like this.
Well done to the Swire Princes, the 'Yes' men and the accountants.
You reap what you sow.
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I'm not sure that the flying fraternity has realised that the CX management views pilots as a commodity, no different to fuel or catering uplift. You need x number for pilots with y qualifications.
The kudos is no longer resting in the flying club on the 3rd Floor, but in the business management team on the 9th. CX is a tool for making money for the shareholders, principally Swire, and not a flying club for stoking the egos of the front end CEO's.
The glory days for expats in CX are well and truly over, and there are many still dancing after the music has stopped.
The kudos is no longer resting in the flying club on the 3rd Floor, but in the business management team on the 9th. CX is a tool for making money for the shareholders, principally Swire, and not a flying club for stoking the egos of the front end CEO's.
The glory days for expats in CX are well and truly over, and there are many still dancing after the music has stopped.
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I thought it would be obvious that happy, well-treated, well-respected pilots keep flights going if at all possible, sacrifice time and effort to the company as appreciation for being happy, well-treated and respected, and therefore have the motivation to generate millions of dollars in savings (and therefore profits) every year...and pissed off pilots don't give a crap and/or go out of their way not to "help" or save anything, or worse.
It doesn't matter who is in charge, 3rd floor or 9th floor. They all want to generate more profits, right? So do the pilots at the pointy end. Or not...
It doesn't matter who is in charge, 3rd floor or 9th floor. They all want to generate more profits, right? So do the pilots at the pointy end. Or not...
Last edited by Iron Skillet; 1st Aug 2012 at 01:43.
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A rule of thumb in all companies is that industrial relations problems are by definition the fault of management, whose job is to make sure the problems don’t arise in the first case. Cathay Pacific is run by a cadre of managers technically seconded from Swire, who thus should bear ultimate responsibility. Traditionally these guys have often had curiously similar backgrounds: obscure British boarding schools, often with a spell in the Army. The Swires’ policy has been to recruit more than is needed and then let them fight or grovel their way up the management ladder. One, I was once seriously told, had the psychological profile of a wife-beater. It was he who was the big softy who urged that the 100 or so pilots originally due to be fired 10 years back be halved in number. Which makes you wonder what the rest are like.
