Hell hath no fury like an American Airlines pilot who wishes they were flying for a different airline.
This seems the troubling conclusion as American’s pilots continue the battering of their own management.
In public. Yes, even on social media.
The pilots’ union, the Allied Pilots Association, has consistently been adorning Twitter and YouTube with messages that suggest you may not want to fly American Airlines this summer.
Surely a misinterpretation, you might think.
But what would you make of the pilots musing recently: “Traveling with American Airlines? Is American Airlines not ready for a busy summer.”?
The pilots insist management is treating them poorly, changing their schedules at the worst times and generally behaving in a less than competent — and less than caring — manner.
They’re making relatively polished ads to support their cause.
Their message, though, is also targeted at customers, as if they feel those customers would be better off flying with someone else.
This reached a new level of pointedness with an ad that is, in its own touching way, quite startling.
It offers quotes from famous business figures. Sample: “Price is what you pay. Value is what you get.” This comes courtesy of Warren Buffett.
Then there’s J.W. Marriott: “If you take care of your employees, they will take care of your customers, and your business will take care of itself.”
Some may feel this sounds a touch like a blend of mouthwash and hogwash. A business does actually need to be managed, doesn’t it? At least a little?
Then the ad offers this intonation from Virgin Atlantic founder Richard Branson: “Your employees are your real competitive advantage. They’re the ones making the magic happen — so long as their needs are being met.”
But then the pilots aim a sizable fist towards American’s solar plexus.
They offer: “When you take care of your employees, they will take care of your customers, who then reward you…