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Sigh, bumpy road ahead

  • #21
I read somewhere a few years ago that the airline industry, as a whole, had lost money since its beginnings. But it's always able to entice investors to pour more money in when times look good.
 
  • #22
NS,
Bummer on your recent bad news. This type of message is getting more & more common as the manufacturing base in the US is sent to lower cost countries (China, India, Vietnam, etc).
The cost of oil is definitely a big issue for the airlines but they were in deep trouble before oil went nuts. The airline industry cannot make money. With the exception of Southwest (& maybe JetBlue), the industry loses money hand over fist. For years, every time one carrier announced a price increase, another came in to match the old fare or lower fares to grab customers - even though it means operating at a bigger loss. This industry is just crazy ....
It will absolutely get worse before it gets better - the industry is in need of a major shakeup/shakeout. However, be leery of predictions by experts - they are notorious for being wrong....

Good luck with your situation...

Correct. It's a self-destructive industry, well the passenger airline biz is at least. Cargo side does great (UPS/Fedex). Fractionals are laughing all the way to the bank also despite rising oil( NetJets is a very successful co. if people are looking for an example). A few foreign airlines are doing great and are good to work for also (Emirates, Cathay Pacific top the list). So there are a few promising areas out there. However, it's exceedingly difficult to be hired on those sides. I compare it the acting biz. For every millionaire actor who makes it to the big time, there are a thousand actors barely making ends meet.

There's no happy medium in it. Plus it's so ultra-sensitive to any economic dip. Sucks to work for one, suck to be a passenger on one. Everyone on all sides is just pissed off and unhappy. The oil mess has just amplified and deepened the pain. The business model is broken, no doubt. Just wish I realized all this years ago when I fell in love w/flying. I'm definitely tired of chasing the 'dream'. Anymore, I just want stability, enough $ to buy a house, and a much simpler life with more time at home. So, maybe a furlough won't be all bad afterall!

'Preciate all the good words. I wish the best for everybody out there right now, I think we are headed into some very difficult times as country overall in the near future. But hey, that's life. Just gotta roll with the punches. Really, we've been lucky the last long while. Life has been very easy for so long, it's easy to take it for granted.

PS - On that note I just have to add this: "Looks like I picked the wrong week to stop sniffing glue!" -Airplane

PPS - PAK glad you liked the picture! It's my fav. I've got bunches more on my sig link if you are interested.
 
  • #23
That's really bad. But as with most bad changes they can lead to good things. I hope this is the case for you. I don't know if this will be a popular option but maybe the government needs to jump in and regulate the whole industry. That may be the worse possible option, but I can't see any other that will work. Get rid of all the different unions that are just looking out for, and getting all it can for each group of workers. Pilots, flight attendants, baggage handlers, air craft control, etc all have a union that fight just for their workers. There are millions of dollars going just to run the different unions. If the government came in, did away with all of that, paid the workers a fair rate of pay with the money saved and spread the workload with the existing so each pilot is not working 90+ hours a week, I think it can be profitable again. Maybe give each pilot a set route that he flies everyday so you're home every night.

Of course my point of view is from the outside looking in. I also know that the government don't have a good track record at doing this sort of thing, but I believe it can be done. Like I said this may be the worse possible idea, but some thing has to change.

Most important, I'm sorry you can't make a living doing what you love to do.
 
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