Dudes, I was the HR Manager for a corporate aviation fleet. It was the worst job of my life because it was emotional, tense, and full of conflict between the corporation (who felt that its aviation employees had a sense of entitlement) and the aviation department (who felt that the corporation was trying to nickel & dime the division into oblivion).
They were both right, but I firmly believe that commercial pilots, flight attendants, and anyone associated with keeping the plane up in the air — cocky, crabby, and obnoxious as they can be — should earn a bazillion dollars each year.
We pay aviation employees to keep their cool, act professionally, and separate normal ‘employee’ emotions from their day job. We pay them to behave a little better than the average employee. You can tell me that any moron can fly an airplane, and you can tell me that pilots (and the related service industries) have some of the strongest and most active unions in America.
I don’t care. Pay them a bazillion dollars. They have to be right 100% of the time or the worst happens. I couldn’t be responsible for the safety & welfare of hundreds of people, and I surely couldn’t do this.
Holy crap, I love happy endings. Pay the pilots and flight attendants a decent wage — or go Greyhound.
Updated: a scene that proves the awesomess of Quantas.
wow, that’s frightening… i’m surprised that there weren’t more hysterics, really… these people certainly deserve to be paid well, but if they’re paid much more, i doubt i could afford to fly anywhere. greyhound, here i come!
Darah, you have to dream bigger than Greyhound — for the sake of the boys!
When I read about some of the crap flight attendants and pilots/co-pilots have to go through with insane passengers I am aghast. Their first job is your safety. People should remember that the next time they snap at a flight attendant because they were asked to turn off their cell phone. You may need this person to help your fat behind out of a plane engulfed in flames…do you REALLY want to piss her off?
The airline industry is far from perfect. But I have found that if you act reasonable and advocate for yourself in a professional manner, most airline employees are happy to do whatever they can to help you. Everyone has a horror story, yes. But for the love of Pete, put yourself in these worker’s shoes and calm the F down, people!