More airline jobs lost. Not really a viable career anymore with regards to airlines in the US.

Frontier is outsourcing all customer service and ramp (baggage handling) at Denver airport, as well as outsourcing their reservations department.

Swissport will take over the work at Denver airport, and a company in Nashville, will take over reservations.

1,200 jobs in Denver and 140 jobs in Milwaukee cut.

All other airports have already been outsourced, so this is the final cut.

Frontier outsources work, gives 1,160 Denver airport workers notice - The Denver Post


I am sure if airlines could they would outsource pilots as well, but that hasn't become fashionable yet.

If they could find a reliable charter company, I'm sure they would, but I guess the specific policies and procedures for each different company would preclude that.

Yes it would be hard for a 3rd party to do as they would need dedicated pilots for each contract, and well it's a lot harder to find pilots, they are the one job that really isn't possible at this point to outsource, everything else though can be outsourced no issue which airlines are doing.

Just a matter of time until flight attendants are outsourced, next round of airline financial issues in the future, airlines won't have other staff most likely to get rid of, my guess is they go after flight attendants.

Only takes 4-6 weeks to train depending on airline and there is never a shortage of people willing to do it.

Pilots have way more restrictions including max duty times per day, per month and per year, so can't share them really.

Where ground staff have no restrictions, they can work Airline A in the morning and Airline B in the afternoon, and they can pay min. wage with no benefits and find people, they won't be quality, but in this day and age its all about money, companies don't care for quality.

It isn't the companies, they are responding to the idiots who only buy the cheapest ticket. When I was at Heathrow the common wisdom was £5 difference between tickets and that would be the deciding factor on who to fly with.

Why would anyone pay more if another airline is offering it for less? No different then any other business, problem is we allowed airlines like Spirit, and Ryanair to come in and under cut the normal airlines and charge excessive fees to make up the difference.

Its high time the base fare include all fees, with the airline prohibited from charging anything additional after purchase, then there would be more level field.

People don't take into account all the fees these ultra low cost carriers impose, and they are the root of the issue.

But airlines should also not eek out profits on the backs of its employees, like any business, if they can't make money, they should go under, less airlines would end up with higher fares but overall the industry would be stronger.

I support less airlines, and higher fares personally, too many markets are saturated, and open skies have made it impossible for airlines to make money.

I would call that sensible myself.
Why you gonna pay a baggage handler £15 ph when you can get a company in to do it for £10? The way airlines are having to save on costs, it's hardly surprising. At LHR, even BA have started outsourcing ground handling on certain routes, which with their union, I didnt think would ever happen.

...because they prefer better legroom, better meals and overall better service and comfort. You complain about the companies cutting costs but even your own comment supports their customers rush to the bottom and forcing the drubbing down. It is the customers who only want the cheapest who are the reason for all the cost cutting. Look how long AAs extra seat pitch lasted.

I'd pay more if 2 things were to happen:

1) My wages went up permitting me to pay more, I would.

2) There was an airline that offered something better that justified paying more, but currently in North America of the major main stream carriers there is no airline offering something better, their coach product is all the same. I would pay more for more leg room if offered, but Alaska doesn't currently offer more leg room anywhere in coach except on E-Exit row but those are always taken by elites anyhow.

I am carrier specific though, I will generally only fly Alaska to support them and their service, I won't go to the competition which is Allegiant, and I always pay more on Alaska then what I could pay on Allegiant, but I choose to support Alaska.

I am very brand specific when it comes to airlines, on the west coast and anywhere Alaska flies, they are my choice, I just book them.

When flying somewhere Alaska doesn't fly, I choose Delta.

If neither airline flies to were I am going, then I will choose price over anything else, since I have no brand loyalty to say United.

Suppose it's just the way life is now, everyone is in the race to the bottom, and as more people end up with lower paying jobs, they have to pay less for everything else and it's just a domino effect from there.

Flying is mostly become more then we can afford, so it's a once every few years thing now, which I accept, but 2 people should not be able to fly 1,500 miles cheaper then driving is, which is almost always the case in recent years.


If I was financially able to, I would certainly buy first class for the leg room, more comfortable seat, and not having a middle seat, but it's not an option.

Realistically too many people make too little to pay more, and hence why everything has to be priced below what is really profitable, hotels are in the same boat, so they reduce wages, which in turn leaves less people able to buy their product and so on.

I will pay more for Alaska and Delta as said, but why would I pay more to fly United if American is cheaper? Neither airline offers anything unique to justify paying more.

Frequent flyer bonuses, food if long haul, seating, duration, connections, frequency, IFE... some things far less important to others but still a factor for some.

I don't mind the principle as such, as long as there are no hidden surprises, or fees for things that cost the airline basically nothing (eg seat reservations). But...

...but when they start charging to self print a boarding pass at home then it's ridiculous. IIRC in Europe they have to include credit/debit card fees in the fare unless there's a free way of paying - and guess what, Ryanair found a card that barely anybody uses, declare that as no fee, and charge everybody else £3 or whatever for the cheek of having to pay to pay. And it even used to be £3 or whatever *per person*, not per transaction!

I am against all the excess fees, and totally support government legislation to require airlines to include all fees and charges in the base fare with nothing added after purchase. Too many loopholes right now allowing airlines like Spirit and Frontier to appear cheap, and then hit you with all sorts of fees such as carry on fees, as if nobody travels with nothing.

As for the first part, only a small percentage of passengers are willing to pay more for something like meals or IFE, it's not really something I would take into consideration and not something I am willing to pay more for.

I am willing to pay more for leg room however, and more to fly a specific airline, but the rest, its no concern to me, I don't fly enough to worry about miles, I have accrued a whopping 5,000 over 12 years, but I am brand specific to Alaska and Delta and will pay more to fly on them over anyone else.

After telling parliament that AirAsia flight QZ8501 "climbed too fast", at a rate of 6,000 ft/min, the Indonesian transport minister added "...... No passenger or fighter jet would attempt to climb that fast" (I added the emphasis). I guess he isn't likely to be switched to the defense minister position if that is what he "knows" about fighter jets.

https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-n...-air-force-one

Up to 3 on order.

O. M. G. !!!

It is already known than 15 of the 58 people on board survived. Thirty-one are known to be dead.

BBC News - Taiwan TransAsia plane crashes into river

Should be noted that this video hasn't yet been independently verified, so could be an elaborate fake. Either way, it's another blow to the aviation industry - especially in Asia.

You wouldn't get me on an Asian flagged aircraft, put it that way.

It hit that taxi cab (I think). Any idea if the cab occupants got away with that?