Comments on: US Airways Unsafe: Say Pilots. Is it true?

By: Cherie Mulhearn

Cherie Mulhearn — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 18:24:51 +0000

I just returned from a trip to Athens, Greece flying US Air. I was flying with a group of High School students on an educational trip. We left Pensacola, FL into Charlotte into Phillidelphia and then on to Greece….all on US Air. I was terrified and very uncomfortable the entire trip. The plane was nasty and felt lke a coffin crossing the Atlantic. The service was deplorable and rude. Never again will I fly this airline and am just very thankful we flew back on a German airline.

By: Petes2cents

Petes2cents — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 21:43:28 +0000

I would like to know who is the idiot that would even think of such a ridiculous plan. We have enough worries on being blown out of the sky or being flown into a high rise, now we have to worry about not having enough fuel ?

So now my life hangs in the hands of a CEO, that is sitting at home, sipping on Cognac, while my pilot is stressed and wondering if he has enough fuel to land his airplane, that is carrying three hundred passengers.

petes2cents.com

By: Jonathan Heckman

Jonathan Heckman — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 17:29:40 +0000

Capt. Webber – That’s very interesting. I forgot about the duel unions, but I wrote about that recently. Adds another factor to the story, doesn’t it?

By: russ webber

russ webber — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 15:34:53 +0000

July 17, 2008

Dear Mr. King-

Yesterday I tuned in to your show with the hopes of seeing the CEO of US Airways speak to the crushing negative effects the speculative run up of oil is having on the airlines, the economy, and my career. What I saw was something all together different.

Instead of the scheduled speakers I witnessed a disjointed, subjective, discussion over
a “news” story that was generated by an ad placed by the leaders of the new rookie union at US AIRWAYS (USAPA).This ad was nothing more than an ill guided attempt by the fledgling union’s leaders to flex their muscle during contract negotiations.

The core issue here is not about how much fuel a pilot can carry, safety or “Captains Authority” but rather a dispute between the company and a segment of the pilots this new Union represents. (It should be noted that not one of the 1800 former ALPA represented pilots of America West have elected to join this new union.)

As a Captain for America West and post merge the New US Airways I have never had the company question the amount of extra fuel I choose to carry on any flight segment. Many of those segments routinely carry me and my passengers over the longest over water route in the world and as such I am very cognizant of the need for adequate fuel reserves for any contingency.

I was appalled by this new “Unions” attempt to bring safety into question when it is clear, based on the data collected, that this was a deliberate attempt by the pilots in question to carry and burn more fuel in an effort to influence the company to acquiesce to their contractual wishes.

As a one time Executive Vice President of The Airline Pilots Association I have seen and participated in my fair share of labor disputes but I have never witnessed nor would I condone using a bogus “safety” issue to apply leverage to a company. ALPA has a long and proud history of improving safety in the airline industry and would never taint that reputation by such actions. The leaders of this new Union would be advised to follow suit.

Sadly it is the passengers who are caught up in this squabble but that is all it is; a squabble between management and a very green union whose strategy and tactics are counter productive to their cause.

Sincerely,

Capt. Russ Webber
B-757
US Airways

By: Chad

Chad — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 14:29:31 +0000

What this really is, is a power play by an insecure new union. A gross missuse of union funds, and an embarrassment to the professional pilots of US Air. I have been a pilot for US Air for over eight years, and in that time I have never felt inappropriate pressure about fuel. None of the people I work with have ever been questioned about their decisions to add fuel. Not knowing the specifics of the case with the eight pilots who received extra training, it is still hard to believe the company would do this with out gross provocation. We are in contract negotiations, and one of the tactics of the more radical elements is to drive up costs to “encourage” the company to settle on a new contract. This is not a good idea at this time.

Every one should remember that no one at any time allows an aircraft to fly that is unsafe. The absolute worst that could happen is to land at an airport short of the destination to get more fuel. This costs a huge amount of money, and the company doesnt want that. This BS about US AIr being unsafe is just smoke. I put my kids on those airplanes all the time, and so should you.