This weekend, we seem to be a bit hard on the airlines. Then again, these stories focus on airline actions. Firstly, Delta fights to take away FF miles from a traveler who they say, “Complains too much.” Secondly, the airline association is fighting safety efforts proposed by the FAA regarding pilot fatigue. Finally, we take a look at what airlines pay pilots — less than window washers?
Frequently complaining rabbi booted from frequent flier program
A frequent flier who was a member of Northwest Airline’s program had his FF miles revoked and was thrown out of their program. He is fighting back. An appeals court has ruled that the case can go forward because the federal preemption law was not meant to “immunize the airline industry from liability for common law contract claims.” This could be a big deal.
In July 2008, Northwest sent the rabbi a letter noting that he had made 24 complaints in the past eight months, including nine incidents of his bag arriving late at the luggage carousel, according to court papers.
“You have continually asked for compensation over and above our guidelines. We have awarded you $1,925.00 in travel credit vouchers, 78,500 WorldPerks bonus miles, a voucher extension for your son, and $491.00 in cash reimbursements,” the letter states, according to court papers.
“Due to our past generosity, we must respectfully advise that we will no longer be awarding you compensation each time you contact us.”
Ginsberg’s lawyers countered that the rabbi and his wife had been averaging about 75 flights on Northwest each year, and that Ginsberg estimated that only about 10% of the trips had resulted in a call to Northwest’s customer care.
“I don’t think I was a frequent complainer,” Ginsberg said.
Airlines say pilot fatigue rule would cost jobs
The airlines are fighting against safety rules that the FAA is getting ready to institute. The new rules acknowledge that pilot fatigue affects safety. Pilots agree, but airlines have underscored their disagreement with how much money the new rule might cost them. It is a basic case of safety vs. costs.
The carriers’ top trade group, the Air Transport Association, said in a letter to the White House budget office the cost of the fatigue rule also would result in the loss of thousands of airport, manufacturing and other jobs related to the airline industry.
Airlines would not be able to raise prices sufficiently to meet the costs of complying, forcing carriers to cut capacity and eliminate jobs, ATA said.
Service to small communities, which is very important to members of Congress, could be especially vulnerable, the association said.
Pilots can earn less than airport window washers
A look at the base pay of airline pilots, especially those flying regional airlines (and more and more mainline carriers), shows the paltry pay that beginning pilots responsible for thousands of lives get.
Recent salary records show that a rookie first officer on a regional airline flying out of San Francisco International Airport may be paid less than the worker who washes the airport’s windows.
First officers, sometimes called co-pilots, are second in command on commercial aircraft.
On regional airlines, their starting salaries range from about $20.50 to $29 per hour. That is significantly less than the skipper of a passenger ferry on San Francisco Bay, records compiled by California Watch show. Some earn less than toll takers on the Golden Gate Bridge or state prison nurses.
Pilots for regional airlines “are paid considerably less to work more hours,” says Brandon Macsata, executive director of the Association for Airline Passenger Rights, an independent organization of air travelers. “And it brings up safety concerns.”
Charlie Leocha is the President of Travelers United. He has been working in Washington, DC, for the past 14 years with Congress, the Department of Transportation, and industry stakeholders on travel issues. He was the first consumer representative to the Advisory Committee for Aviation Consumer Protections appointed by the Secretary of Transportation from 2012 through 2018.
