More Friction in Aer Lingus
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More Friction in Aer Lingus
Just heard that there is further industrial dispute problems at EI. Cabin crew have issued notice for industrial action and just to ensure the situation was promptly diffused the company has removed all travel concessions for staff in the relevent union with immediate effect!!!!.
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It kills (and hurts) me to see what management is doing to this airline ! I sometimes really wonder if there isn't a hidden agenda out there...
Both passengers and employees are treated with contempt in a clumsy effort to align with Ryanair. The problem is that the whole business model of EI is unable to compete with FR and that the key to their success is DIFFERENTIATION, not imitation.
The assumption that travellers are looking for the cheapest fares and willing to put up with being treated like cattle is erroneous, simple as that.
The Irish flag carrier and its employees deserves much better than that !
What a shame...
Go Shamrock, go !
Both passengers and employees are treated with contempt in a clumsy effort to align with Ryanair. The problem is that the whole business model of EI is unable to compete with FR and that the key to their success is DIFFERENTIATION, not imitation.
The assumption that travellers are looking for the cheapest fares and willing to put up with being treated like cattle is erroneous, simple as that.
The Irish flag carrier and its employees deserves much better than that !
What a shame...
Go Shamrock, go !
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The assumption that travellers are looking for the cheapest fares and willing to put up with being treated like cattle is erroneous, simple as that.
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Quote:
"It kills (and hurts) me to see what management is doing to this airline ! "
What.......turning it around from posting huge losses to being profitable in the space of a few short years. As an Irish flag carrier and semi state in the past making profit wasn't important as the govt could bail them out if in trouble. Nowadays EI are competing with everyone else in a cutthroat market.
Change is always painful in any Company and even more so in what was previously such a protected environment away from the rigours of market forces. EI staff can sit back and say no more but to what end. Just look at Sabena and Swissair.
As for differentiation, its still there to an extent but the lines are getting blurred. From a passenger perspective would hate to see them become the FR model so would agree with Loewy and Angels there but would also say that there is a limit to what customers will pay in order to get service. Its all well and good having a full service airline if no one is willing to pay.
"It kills (and hurts) me to see what management is doing to this airline ! "
What.......turning it around from posting huge losses to being profitable in the space of a few short years. As an Irish flag carrier and semi state in the past making profit wasn't important as the govt could bail them out if in trouble. Nowadays EI are competing with everyone else in a cutthroat market.
Change is always painful in any Company and even more so in what was previously such a protected environment away from the rigours of market forces. EI staff can sit back and say no more but to what end. Just look at Sabena and Swissair.
As for differentiation, its still there to an extent but the lines are getting blurred. From a passenger perspective would hate to see them become the FR model so would agree with Loewy and Angels there but would also say that there is a limit to what customers will pay in order to get service. Its all well and good having a full service airline if no one is willing to pay.
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Understand that the Cabin Crew were being asked to sell breakfasts on board! Try that on a rugby morning to Twickers!
I agree with the fact that the company has been turned around but this has been achieved with the help of the frontline staff. Loosing that commitment through confrontation instead of consultation means that the longterm is not secured.
At the same time as senior managment are talking up a sell off it seems illogical to be getting involved in escalating silly disputes to full scale confrontation.
I agree with the fact that the company has been turned around but this has been achieved with the help of the frontline staff. Loosing that commitment through confrontation instead of consultation means that the longterm is not secured.
At the same time as senior managment are talking up a sell off it seems illogical to be getting involved in escalating silly disputes to full scale confrontation.
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Would agree that having a row while trying to talk up the company for sale appears daft but if as is being speculated in the papers that private investment will be the purchasers they will be looking for evidence of strong management and not giving in on the smaller issues. Losing the committment of the frontline staff is not going to help anyone but the frontline staff need to be cognisant that they could be cutting off their noses to spite their faces. They can hang on to the moral high ground all they like but it won't do much good on the dole queue if EI goes under.
As for selling breakfasts to the Twickers crowd - would have thought that wouldn't be the most difficult of propositions. Give me a few beers and a fry is just what I want..!!
As for selling breakfasts to the Twickers crowd - would have thought that wouldn't be the most difficult of propositions. Give me a few beers and a fry is just what I want..!!
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I'm curious to see how this unfolds. Ireland has the EU Presidency at the moment and a strike by Pilots or Cabin Crew at Aer Lingus could seriously embarrass the government. Bertie won't like the idea of the various EuroCrats wishing to attend functions in Dublin being left standing on the tarmac.
I hear he has already told Willy (through Seamus) to put a lid on it.
The Presidency ends in June I think... so be prepared for a long drawn out period of waffling...followed by swift kick in the balls in July.
I hear he has already told Willy (through Seamus) to put a lid on it.
The Presidency ends in June I think... so be prepared for a long drawn out period of waffling...followed by swift kick in the balls in July.
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I expect to get shot down in flames for this, but heregoes anyway
NATIONAL FLAG CARRIER?????
Such things evaporated in the 9/11 era.
All of the special priviledges afforded to such airlines and the logic behind them have gone for good. BA might cry that they have special military duties and responsibilities 'in times of war', but even that is now farcical.
Consider a 200 hour wanabee in BA being 'called for duty', in preference to a 10,000 hour veteran from My Travel, for example. The mind boggles.
Maybe one should ask the question in the house as to why BA flies the National Flag, especially when it made p**s p**r returns to its investors; previously the government, now the general public.
At that time, the airline should have been stripped of its special status and privelidges. BA now has to compete in a 'dog eat dog' world, and is not doing very well at that, as we all know.
Why shouldn't Ryanair represent the Irish population; indeed why shouldn't Monarch, for example represent the British people, if it happens to be the best?; at least it has the right name to represent Her Majesty!
No National Airline deserves special consideration. Nor should the 'subjects' pay the price of such profane arrogance.
100 years ago, this would have earned a place in the Tower of London, for treason. Nowadays its common sense!
NATIONAL FLAG CARRIER?????
Such things evaporated in the 9/11 era.
All of the special priviledges afforded to such airlines and the logic behind them have gone for good. BA might cry that they have special military duties and responsibilities 'in times of war', but even that is now farcical.
Consider a 200 hour wanabee in BA being 'called for duty', in preference to a 10,000 hour veteran from My Travel, for example. The mind boggles.
Maybe one should ask the question in the house as to why BA flies the National Flag, especially when it made p**s p**r returns to its investors; previously the government, now the general public.
At that time, the airline should have been stripped of its special status and privelidges. BA now has to compete in a 'dog eat dog' world, and is not doing very well at that, as we all know.
Why shouldn't Ryanair represent the Irish population; indeed why shouldn't Monarch, for example represent the British people, if it happens to be the best?; at least it has the right name to represent Her Majesty!
No National Airline deserves special consideration. Nor should the 'subjects' pay the price of such profane arrogance.
100 years ago, this would have earned a place in the Tower of London, for treason. Nowadays its common sense!
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i fully agree....AL has turned into a Ryan air wantabee and it will never achieve its goal . FR has an unachieveable cost base that AL wont match unless it closes, and starts again from scratch. AL does not not deserve the national airline status and in my opinon is now a wantabee FR flying to posher airports. They treat their staff like manure. and that goes from the pilots to the cleaners. The hate culture in the company is incredible and every one in management plays this funny game called musical chairs playing to thier superiors whims. At least a pilot in the Ryans can tell you what they will be doing in two months time vis a vee their roster. Their scum collegues across the road havent a bogs notion whats around the corner in 10 days time......they are the most ridden bunch of gals and guys I know and I support them so much especially been given the inside track from my contacts there!
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AL does not not deserve the national airline status
All it means is government interference in everything the airline does. Like being instructed by decree to fly 747s from DUB to SNN just to keep the Limerick Lobby on side with FF.
Management doesn't either...Willy can't wait to paint out the Shamrock and replace it with a Big Red Dot!
Aer Lingus is heading for 75 - 100M Euro profits this year alone...and that with its hands tied behind its back by EU restrictions on 'owner investment'. Meantime FR can go out and raise billions on the stock market to fund fleet replacement without resorting to borrowing.
If ALT had access to those kinds of funds, what would the balance sheet be looking like today?
Don't write ALT off as a player. Its got a great future ahead, but corporate ambition/ego demands every last drop of blood from the workforce.
Glad to see they are standing and fighting this time.
Just don't let the sucker drag it out guys and gals...NOW is the moment.
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Independent external analysis consistently shows that there is a distinct lack of similarity between the positions of Aer Lingus and those occupied by Swissair/Sabena prior to their demise.
Sorry Caribs but references to losing money are also false, sadly many have swallowed the management PR rubbish. The boardroom pictures were only sold to buy column inches in the Irish Times. In truth Aer Lingus have had but one month of operating loss in the 21st century. Accountants can spin it by buying aeroplanes for cash, writing off computer equipment over as little as 3 months etc but it doesn't change the baseline. EI's flying operations make money and yes, that is partially thanks to the current management but what they are doing now is all bad...
As for the dole queue, the front line staff know where it is and how long it is - they worry about it often enough. That they continue their actions in spite of all this is testament to the gross mishandling of the workforce by the management. The broken agreements, sometimes broken even as they were being made are but one part of it all. These employees know all about the situation and still they act, it's their jobs and their fight and they all know what they are doing. As fellow PP's or others with an interest in the industry we should fall in full square behind them.
Good luck to all.
Sorry Caribs but references to losing money are also false, sadly many have swallowed the management PR rubbish. The boardroom pictures were only sold to buy column inches in the Irish Times. In truth Aer Lingus have had but one month of operating loss in the 21st century. Accountants can spin it by buying aeroplanes for cash, writing off computer equipment over as little as 3 months etc but it doesn't change the baseline. EI's flying operations make money and yes, that is partially thanks to the current management but what they are doing now is all bad...
As for the dole queue, the front line staff know where it is and how long it is - they worry about it often enough. That they continue their actions in spite of all this is testament to the gross mishandling of the workforce by the management. The broken agreements, sometimes broken even as they were being made are but one part of it all. These employees know all about the situation and still they act, it's their jobs and their fight and they all know what they are doing. As fellow PP's or others with an interest in the industry we should fall in full square behind them.
Good luck to all.
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Anyone know what the future is like for the EI BAe 146 drivers that having been getting paid to sit it out at home for the last 4 months? Can hardly be a confidence instilling exercise?
And as for those silly new x 2/7 services out of Cork to BCN, ALC and MXP - at those kind of rotations why bother? Hardly low cost either.
And as for those silly new x 2/7 services out of Cork to BCN, ALC and MXP - at those kind of rotations why bother? Hardly low cost either.
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Years ago when the NHS was under fire wards were closed on a regular basis but you never heard at any stage that offices closed in the NHS.
In similar fashion in EI the numbers are down but ratios of managment posts to frontline staff are unreal.
In today's Irish Times Willie is quoted as saying "When somebody is uncertain of their future, to lock them into the company is not fair"
"some staff were uncomfortable with the level of change and wished to exit"
Perhaps if they saw equity and fairness in the change and were consulted they would be comfortable!!! Instead the see heavy handed tactics which appear designed to intimidate. They see the product and the companies quality standards being devalued and they see senior managment espouse a Ryanair type approach for frontline people but a civil service comfort level for managment.
Ask M O'L if he would give managers guaranteed transatlantic business class seats for so called "duty travel". To Macy's??
In similar fashion in EI the numbers are down but ratios of managment posts to frontline staff are unreal.
In today's Irish Times Willie is quoted as saying "When somebody is uncertain of their future, to lock them into the company is not fair"
"some staff were uncomfortable with the level of change and wished to exit"
Perhaps if they saw equity and fairness in the change and were consulted they would be comfortable!!! Instead the see heavy handed tactics which appear designed to intimidate. They see the product and the companies quality standards being devalued and they see senior managment espouse a Ryanair type approach for frontline people but a civil service comfort level for managment.
Ask M O'L if he would give managers guaranteed transatlantic business class seats for so called "duty travel". To Macy's??
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Aer Lingus needs to sort out, long term, what kind of carrier it wants to be, instead of pretending to be low cost which they are not. The rise in profits witnessed recently has been in direct proportion to the falloff in level of service. At the time when they introduced their latest imitation brainwave, i.e. charging for drinks or snacks, they were already making a profit. So overnight they turned what was previously a service into more profit. Willie and his band are only interested in the short term goal of bumping up the floatation price. Their latest slogan "Low fares, way better" is a joke, better than who or what?
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Unreal Or What
Just heard that Aer Lingus have now taken Staff relations to a high art form!!
They removed staff travel concessions from their own staff ( cabin Crew) for indicating that they might take industrial action. At the same time SIPTU staff who are employees of Aer Rianta and who are closing Dublin Cork and Shannon Airports on Thusday have retained their travel concessions!!!!!
They removed staff travel concessions from their own staff ( cabin Crew) for indicating that they might take industrial action. At the same time SIPTU staff who are employees of Aer Rianta and who are closing Dublin Cork and Shannon Airports on Thusday have retained their travel concessions!!!!!
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The point surely is that whilst RyanAIR were in the High Court trying to get the UNION stopped from causing mass disruption, AER LINGUS were continuing to give travel concessions to the Airport Authority union members, who had threatened to stop everybody operating!!!
AL management have been accused by the labour relations commission of being less than effective at employee relations.This is another example of their sheer stupidity.
AL management have been accused by the labour relations commission of being less than effective at employee relations.This is another example of their sheer stupidity.
