Comments on: Midwest Airlines pilots hold rally… Why?

By: Interested bystander

Interested bystander — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 02:45:29 +0000

Has anyone asked Midwest pilots how many pay increases they received last year? The answer is two. Has anyone asked Midwest pilots how many pay increases they received this year? The answer is two. How many pay increases did any other Midwest employee receive last year? At the most, one. This year? Zero. Instead, most took a decrease.

Maybe if the pilots weren’t so greedy the airlines would be in a better position.

By: fredflyer

fredflyer — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 21:07:05 +0000

Oh come on Susie and SkyQueen …. at least 60% of the Crew boozes and sleeps around… several crew members a day would not pass a “blow test” for acohol while waiting to board the first leg of the day…. you are still whinning … I’m sorry with all the technology flying a commercial plane can be learned it’s not a specialized skill as you try and paint it… and FA your food servers….. the crap about being away from home… again go back to the boozing & sleeping around… and not having to carry those family responsibilities while gone… again come on be honest with yourselfs… big shout out to Maggie K. at Midwest no more boozing and sleeping around.. maybe sell Cookies door to door…

By: susie

susie — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 20:36:17 +0000

Flying bus driver? We ‘bus drivers’ go through tremendous training initially as well as every 6 months of our career. We work extremely long hours and are away from our families 4 days a week or more. Yes we chose this career, but do you honestly believe that being away from home with our level of responsibility 96 hours a week is worth only 35K per year? We spend an average of 100K on training alone. How about flying an approach down to minimums with an ice covered runway waiting for us? How about navigating the country through thunderstorms, making sure you keep the fuel to get where you are headed? On top of that, we probably got very little rest because we were behind all day due to airport delays. We probably haven’t eaten all day trying to catch up. This is not because we are drunk and easy. We need to bring back the respect and raise the ticket prices back to where they actually pay for the seat to get there. I imagine that would keep people like you at home on your couch instead of on my airplane complaining, in your pj’s, headed for Disney. What Midwest management is doing is wrong, plain and simple. If you can’t afford to pay your employees but management can still bring home millions, then shut her down.

By: Future Former Midwest Pilot

Future Former Midwest Pilot — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 22:45:02 +0000

See what’s happening to Midwest. Help stop the dismantling of a great airline. Tell Tim Hoeksema, TPG, and Northwest you won’t fall prey to their bait and switch tactics.

http://www.DontOutsourceMidwest.com

By: Skyqueen614

Skyqueen614 — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 21:53:17 +0000

FredFlyer: Your comments disgust me. You have no idea what flight crews go through. The long hours, sitting on the tarmac, the upset passengers and still keeping a smile on your face to keep people calm, oh and getting home once a week to see your family. That’s why a higher wage would be appreciated.
Anyways, I work for Republic Airlines and though some of us don’t agree with what the company is doing by picking up Midwest flying, I hope there will be not be disrespectful treatment to our employees. Its too bad that this happens to us a lot when we pick up flying for a codeshare and the other company isn’t happy. The airline industry is very cut throat and it seems like everyone is out for themselves. Which is probably why Republic decided to pick up the flying along with giving the company a loan. We just work for the company we don’t make the business decisions.

By: fredflyer

fredflyer — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 17:04:04 +0000

Pilots and Flight Attendents get over it… pick up and move on … as said earlier the business model will be pilots & FA at 1/2 the cost and there will be people standing in lines for the job…. come on your a bus driver and a flying watress… 6 figure income for a flying bus driver??

I think you are all pisssed becuase you won’t have those layovers to booze it up and sleep around with each other anymore…

By: Chris

Chris — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 18:36:11 +0000

Why is everyone so quick to cut the pay of pilots down to nothing just because the airline is failing? They show up to work everyday and do there jobs to the best of their abilities, which by the looks of things is rather good seeing as how Midwest has only had 1 accident that I could find. Now you want to take that pilot and cut his wage by 65% while the CEO is taking home millions, but is failing to properly do his job. If these pilots are not just fighting for their own rights they are fighting for the rights of all the pilots for every company. What will be next do you think because the airline is failing the pilots should start paying to fly the airplane? Where do the concessions stop? This will accomplish principle. This is going to show America that Pilots are no longer going to let failing airlines run their lives into the ground just like they did their companies.

By: The Planes

The Planes — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 06:52:49 +0000

Awesome article, I love the 1st one!

By: Evan Leham

Evan Leham — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 17:02:17 +0000

Jim,
A correction. You mention that AirTran and JetBlue operate the Boeing 717. JetBlue does not operate Boeing 717s. Your question asking what is Delta going to do with Midwest leaves food for thought. Midwest might indeed become a “Delta Connection” carrier.

By: Tracy Coenen

Tracy Coenen — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 00:41:53 +0000

Thanks guys for the interesting comments. This is definitely a losing situation all the way around for a lot of people. I believe that Midwest was a very good airline, treating its customers very well when none of the others do. But it seems they may not exist much longer. Sad.