Thu, Dec 27, 2007
UAL/ALPA's Captain Mark Bathurst Is NOT Feeling The Holiday
Spirit
Captain Mark Bathurst,
Chairman of the United Master Executive Council of the Air Line
Pilots Association, had a few things to say, Wednesday, about
United Airlines' Christmas holiday flight cancellations.
Bathurst Statement -- 12.26.07:
"While United management basks in the afterglow of their
multimillion dollar stock dividend to themselves this Christmas
holiday, their mismanagement of the airline left thousands of
Christmas travelers stranded at airports all across the country.
According to press reports, American Airlines cancelled few flights
while operating in the same weather environment. Southwest Airlines
cancelled none.
"United's management made a feeble attempt to shift the blame to
weather for what is becoming an annual debacle -- flight
cancellations due to crew shortages when recovering from bad
weather. United management seems to be continually surprised by
these winter snowstorms which history shows occur with some
regularity throughout the Midwest between November and April.
Internally, a memo was sent out by one pilot flight office properly
blaming the service meltdown on '...several winter weather events
in the Midwest and heavily congested northeast corridor (that) have
increased flight duty times, exhausted monthly maximum hours
earlier than normal in the month and reduced available crew
reserves.' The statement explicitly stated that the shortages were
not the result of any pilot job action or excessive sick leave
usage.
"It is unconscionable that United would allow this gaping hole
in the schedule during the most critical time of year for holiday
travelers and then try to shift the blame to acts of God. This is
nothing but further evidence of a leadership team that is simply
incapable of managing a world-class airline. United has the finest
and most complete route structure in the industry and an
infrastructure on par with anyone with which to compete. However,
given that this management is constantly 'surprised' by elements
with which other airlines routinely deal, it is long overdue for
drastic and deep systemic changes in the management of this
airline. This past week only serves as further evidence of the
pervasive operational incompetence under which United's employees
have had to suffer."
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