Ren, I have been on the dole and damn nearly lost my house because of it and that has taught me not to rock the boat without a bl+~*y good reason. There is nothing “Thatcherite” about that mate I can tell you. Anyone in aviation in this country, or Ireland come to that, thinking of striking at this time wants their head examined IMO. I’m also a paid up union member and, until the advent of Mr.T.B, a Labour party member also. But strike at this time? I most certainly would not. On the other hand, when the gravy train comes back…. but I don’t see it yet. In the meantime good luck to EI.

ATA are presently operating a busy schedule with Tristar 500s via MHZ on military charters.

danairboy, I like to think that we are all friends on here even if we sit at opposite ends of the debate, as Bmused and I do much of the time, but it would be a much duller forum without either of you on it!

As for LoCos….enjoy them while ye may!

Totally agree with that!!

I may be a “tiny” bit biased as I was made redundant thanks to the ‘LoCo effect’ along with many others. I don’t hate them per se but I don’t like what they’ve done to this industry.

My views on LoCos are well known to many on this forum, so I’ll not bore you all to death with them again. With ref to the “Southwest sucess story” considering that it has operated thus far in an arena of artificially low fuel prices and has minimal dealings with flying internationally and no doubt has some cracking price deals with a certain planemaker (its not alone there!) it may not be the ideal example to present. I still think the bubble will burst and it will be a petroleum based one. The LoCo empire sits on foundations of cheap gas, subsidised aircraft prices and those “other subsidies” Hardly a good solid long term business model. I don’t know which group represents the greatest danger to the long term survival of our industry, the LoCo moguls or those who buy tickets on them with seemingly no thought of the “benefits” these carriers bring to our colleagues….Low pay….Low staff moral…..declining conditions……overworked and badly paid crews…declining prospects…etc…etc
It would seem that some are getting the airline industry they deserve…..but unfortunately the rest of us are getting it too, and some have the “sense of humour” to call it progress!

Simply dreadful!!!!!!!