Proud

[V1 Rot8]

Ebay recently pulled a listing that a Delta Air Lines Captain had
placed on the auction site. Up for sale? Captain Wendall Lewis's
Captain's uniform. After Lewis saw his monthly pension of $6500
slashed by 73%, he decided to make a statement.

And here was his statement:

AUTHENTIC Delta Air Lines Captain Pilot Uniform This uniform was
worn by a dedicated Delta Pilot for many years. Now retired and
robbed of part, or all, of promised pension, uniform is now offered
for sale to supplement income. Suit is worn and empty but filled
with memories and honor. Suit has been across many miles and many
experiences. Suit was once filled with pride and service getting
thousands of passengers to their destination safely. Suit has been
through rain, snow, ice, and wind without a single tear or scratch.
Suit once controlled multi-million dollar assets, flown throughout
the world, with billions of dollars of liability to the company.
Suit has never cost company one (1) cent in accident or injury.

Although the suit is worn and has been discarded by the company, it
can be yours. Suit is clean but used. Coat may be soiled from
hydraulic fluid or grease as plane was inspected. Shirt may be
soiled from mad dashes through the airport in a rush to the next
plane in an effort to get back on schedule. Tie may have stains from
fast food meals that were hurriedly eaten while at the controls.

Tie comes with your choice of pins, Air Line Pilots Association, Air
Force, or Airplane. Pants may show signs of wear from may hours
spent strapped into a seat, hip shows some signs of wear from
firearm used to protect you and your passengers from harm. Shoes are
shiny but worn. Suit comes with choice of Old Delta or New Delta
emblems. Many prefer the Old Delta.
Suit is thought by many to have APHRODISIAC qualities, although this
cannot be confirmed or denied.

BEWARE putting on this suit can have adverse effects on your life.
It can cause you to miss your children's birth. It can cause you to
miss holiday reunions, family times, and weekends. You may miss your
Daughter's prom and your Son's graduation. Your family may think
Christmas is not always on December 25th. Your wife will have to
learn to be a single parent when you are gone for days. The suit can
cause you to miss entire nights of sleep or get up at 3 AM to meet
your next schedule. Your neighbors may be jealous of you and think
you do not deserve to wear the uniform or be compensated for your
work. Originally suit required a four year college degree and an
internship of 5-10 years in the military, and another 10-15 years
for the fourth stripe. Suit comes with a promise of a pension if you
provide years of dedication and service.

THE PROMISE MAY BE AS EMPTY AS THE SUIT. Now it can be had for the
highest bid.

Good Luck bidding.

 

[Dorf]

You have to wonder if DL had a hand in the listing being pulled?

TSA and/or Dept. of Homeland Security more than likely. It is frowned upon(some even say it is illegal) to sell a pilot uniform on the open market since 9/11. The company has even taken down, or written a warning on, "flyers" in crew rooms that advertise uniform pieces for sale.

Dorf

 

[hp_fa]

TSA and/or Dept. of Homeland Security more than likely. It is frowned upon(some even say it is illegal) to sell a pilot uniform on the open market since 9/11. The company has even taken down, or written a warning on, "flyers" in crew rooms that advertise uniform pieces for sale.

Dorf

That is just what I was going to post.

 

[local 12 proud]

TSA and/or Dept. of Homeland Security more than likely. It is frowned upon(some even say it is illegal) to sell a pilot uniform on the open market since 9/11. The company has even taken down, or written a warning on, "flyers" in crew rooms that advertise uniform pieces for sale.

Dorf

Is there a law forbidding that DELTA Pilot from donating it to Goodwill Industries? At least he could take a tax write off and some poor person could dress sharp!

 

[FlyOnWall]

Anyone can go to any website or even store and order a pilot uniform. Since most airlines don't care too much about branding anymore, any blue or black pants with epaulette shirts can be worn.

Same with US flight attendant/gate agent uniforms. They are so generic that they could double as a bad suit. The current US uniform is so generic that the commuter airlines also wear it on United express Delta Connection etc flights.

If there are going to be upset about uniforms floating around they need to make them unique and less available to anyone and everyone.

 

[Dorf]

Anyone can go to any website or even store and order a pilot uniform. Since most airlines don't care too much about branding anymore, any blue or black pants with epaulette shirts can be worn.

That's why I don't understand what the big deal is. The company makes a big deal about it, but you can go on-line and buy a new uniform.

Dorf

 

[N109UW]

That has been out for awhile. I saw it about a year ago. Someone emailed it to me. It was originally a joke circulating on the internet. I did see on EBay a full US 737 flight kit with all updates. I notifed corporate security. Also for sale was an F/A emer. manual. Location was Balmor. Whom, now where could that be from? It wasn't on there for long.

 

[Zarah]

http://www.pilotpensiondefense.org/Documen...t%20Uniform.htm

This if from Oct. 2005

 

[Ch. 12]

Since evil mgmt has taken away yet another avenue of pilot compensation by pulling this item from eBay (even though a more rational mind would simply say that most items aren't out for bid for 6+ months...there is a time limit), why not start fund raising for the group? I would say that we could sell Kool-Aid for $1000 a cup. We could use the same ALPA Kool-Aid that has made it obvious to many in the pilot group that indeed no external factors such as economic downturn, fare tranparency, overcapacity, changes in business travel trends, nor terrorist attacks could possibly be responsible for the downturn in the industry and that it is in fact just past management choices that should be blamed on current management. Then the whole world can understand and maybe we could ignore mounting losses and actually get raises for everybody. Where should we set up the Kool-Aid stand?

 

[Deleted by Moderator]

If that isn't the Pot calling the Kettle black.

Ch 12 is the biggest management kool-aid drinker. You go ahead and set up the stand anywhere you like 12. (and if you aren't kool-aid boy, then perhaps you should stop the incessant crying over that which you can't control.)

 

[Ch. 12]

If that isn't the Pot calling the Kettle black.

Ch 12 is the biggest management kool-aid drinker. You go ahead and set up the stand anywhere you like 12. (and if you aren't kool-aid boy, then perhaps you should stop the incessant crying over that which you can't control.)

Think you've confused me with Worldtraveler. I have never said that mgmt is flawless nor that they have made the right choices in the past. What I have done is compare the reasons that ALPA gives for the losses in the industry to what most people that look at the real environment state...

ALPA:
1) Mgmt is hoarding $$ that somehow exists and only want to hoard more.
2) Mgmt is keeping yields down on purpose b/c they truly have the power to charge whatever they want but just choose to lower the yields to force paycuts.
3) Mgmt is purposefully losing revenue just to get more paycuts (b/c that makes sense).
4) "overcapacity" is just a conspiracy since LF's are high. We can assume that fuller planes mean more revenue b/c a thing called "yield" doesn't exist...and oh yeah...like stated before, mgmt can clearly command whatever price they want. Demand is so inelastic that it won't be affected by price changes.

Logical reasons:
1) Since ~2000, businesses have been pinched and have cut back on travel expenses drastically forcing employees/clients to fly cheaper fares or not at all. The result is less business traffic.
2) Since ~2000, Orbitz, Travelocity, Expedia, et all have come about and made fares transparent making it possible for the consumer to get the lowest fare every time. Before this technology, consumers had to think a little more to get the lowest possible fare and yield premiums could be had.
3) Since ~2000, LCCs led by B6 have greatly increased capacity even though high-yield traffic has diminished. Lower yields must be taken to fill the extra capacity so despite high LF's, yields are low.
4) New LCCs have developed the strategy to minimize their own margins to ensure that legacies with higher cost structures will lose money. This has started to backfire as even w/o added fuel expense, they are starting to feel the pressure of ever-shrinking margins.
5) The federal gov't over-taxes the airline system. These taxes can mean that a $100 ticket only nets $40 or less in revenue and usually red ink for profits.
6) Cost of entry into the airline industry is lower than most industries therefore new entrants will continue to emerge (Virgin America) and further erode yields.
7) Air travel demand is HIGHLY elastic. Small changes in fares can lead to large changes in demand. Only recently (probably due to individuals having higher costs due to fuel) has the consumer been slightly less sensitive to price. Despite the conspiracy theory about mgmt keeping yields down, they are actually going up substantially.


Now...tell me which set of reasons seems more logically thought-out and reaks less of paranoid conspiracy theory delusions. You accuse me of mgmt kool-aid drinking yet I look at real factors affecting the industry and have NEVER praised mgmt for always getting things right. They are greedy and looking for golden parachutes but they aren't so greedy and manipulative to make the statements under ALPA's argument above anywhere near true. You give them too much credit.

As far as control?? Sadly I DO know that every time a non-pilot employee at DL tells a pilot to think and that if they strike they will tear down the whole company that pilot pride grows that much more b/c they feel empowered. I couldn't care less about who controls what and would just like to see the companies themselves start making $$ consistently...at which time we can all go back to fighting for higher pay. Until then it just isn't logical.

 

[luv2fly]

As far as control?? Sadly I DO know that every time a non-pilot employee at DL tells a pilot to think and that if they strike they will tear down the whole company that pilot pride grows that much more b/c they feel empowered.

You lost me there 12. "Empowered" by opting for a strike that would end my own career.
Unless I have missed something, a strike does away with my job as well as yours. I am not doing this for a sense of empowerment. I will not simply accept a contract to save the jobs of others. The harsh reality is that is not my responsibility.

 

[Ch. 12]

You lost me there 12. "Empowered" by opting for a strike that would end my own career.
Unless I have missed something, a strike does away with my job as well as yours. I am not doing this for a sense of empowerment. I will not simply accept a contract to save the jobs of others. The harsh reality is that is not my responsibility.

I think the main difference between our points of view is that one of us is looking short term (no paycuts now...don't want anymore) and one is looking long-term (take lumps now and hope for more prosperous times (consistent...not just one or two months) ahead that will ensure survival and hopefully increases, etc). It IS your responsibility that I lost my job if you strike whether you like that or not. But I do think that simply saying that has inflated some (maybe not yours) egos on these boards...hence empowerment. You have told me time and time again that you are sufficiently backed-up should you lose your job...i.e. you don't care if you lose yours. Some of the rest of us have plans B and C as well but truly enjoy plan A and hope to stick with it.

On a side note...is there really ANY negotiation going on right now? The rumors have been that both sides have stayed away from talks for a couple of weeks now. I sure hope that those rumors aren't true and that both sides are still at least bellying up to the table.

 

[Deleted by Moderator]

Again Ch 12, tell us why Delta is so wonderful? You've been very vocal against United but now find yourself in the same problem, why is that?

 

[Ch. 12]

Again Ch 12, tell us why Delta is so wonderful? You've been very vocal against United but now find yourself in the same problem, why is that?

Ummmm....you REALLY have got me confused with WT. I have NEVER gone to the UA board and made negative comments about your airline. That was WT. Please do not make anything up b/c anyone can attest to that. I have supported UA so wherever you get that I have been "very vocal against" them, give it up. I never made one bad comment about them. Please don't make anything up.

DL is not so wonderful. The one great thing that DL has historically had is a sense of unity but that is not there as much today as it was even a few months ago.

I wish UA the best. Please take a few moments and read the history of all of my posts...every one if you want. You won't find a single bad word about UA so don't make that up. Others have maybe said bad things but don't bring your jaded attitude to me b/c I have NEVER EVER gone against UA. AA? Yes. B6? Yes. But not UA.