Generally speaking, if you’re running late for a flight, that’s your problem, and the plane isn’t going to wait for you. There seems to be an exception if you have a direct line to the captain, though, as reported by Times of Malta.
Continue reading: Airline Pilot In Trouble After Delaying Flight To Wait For Friend
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Seems like they got off very light with a warning and 3-month suspension of staff travel privileges. Doesnt surprise me that it isnt the first time its happening and not likely to be the last.
A perfect example where the union ridiculous attempt at justifying this ("did nothing wrong"?) made things worse.
Would have made a lot more sense to keep silent on this one. The fact that they did decide to release that statement just proves that the pilot in question knows how to pull the right strings, with or without an unwell family member.
I expect many will disagree with me, but I believe this is entirely overblown.
Why don't we believe in professional courtesy anymore? If indeed there were no operational consequences, I would have no issue with a pilot extending an above-and-beyond service to a fellow pilot, otherwise unavailable to anyone outside true VIPs (political leaders, the company's own board members, etc).
United will absolutely hold a flight for a Global Services member, though that has to be done via "the system" as opposed to a quick ring to the pilot's personal number.
Is that the issue, where the procedure was violated, rather than any issue with the result (being the delay itself)?
Not surprising as this concerns a Maltese company. On that island somebody knows somebody who knows somebody. One favour earns another. The only person likely to get in trouble is the one who reported it.
A good way to show care for the passengers is to not delay 100+ of them for three people who can't get to the airport in time.
You are aware there are usually more people on board than a one group of pax? All of these people, who arrived at the airport well in advance to make sure they catch their flight, were delayed because of one selfish person who didn't plan their trip sufficiently.
Of course the union is angry. Their members showed blatant contempt for regular passengers and it was made public. I’m just stunned that the union has the audacity to say that no wrongdoing was committed. Not a good hill to die on. Ultimately both pilots and the union look like weasels here.
Samo,
See the above example of the United Global Services member.
If United values them more than the other passengers (they literally do), then the experience is the same for all the delayed passengers, whether they were responsible and arrived 2 hours or more, or even with only 5 minutes to spare, vs the GS that arrived late. As we all know, this absolutely happens.
I would be frustrated, but I understand that I am actually not that important to the pilot or the airline.
You can claim the other pilot was selfish, and he probably was. If I had a sick family member or whatever, the airplane would've left without me.
If I were a pilot, and knew the one flying, I would absolutely make a call to help in my personal situation. Again, I feel that this is overblown, but my feeling is that it was only even an issue at the airline because the airline hierarchy or planning department was sidestepped.
Missed connections, and rotation delays. Europe is slot restricted so
it would cost KM a lot
This all boils down to customer service. AD123 notes that "too much drama...". I disagree. As an airline employee myself, it is the CUSTOMER who pays my salary. The company just writes the check. No seat sold. No satisfied customer...we go broke and we get NO PAY. When our passengers buy a ticket, they (rightly) expect to leave and arrive ON TIME with safety and passenger's wellbeing put FIRST. Both the pilot who requested and the pilot who was complicit should be disciplined. Employee travel is a privilege and not a right. I'm surprised that the punishment wasn't more severe. It would have been if these two worked for us.
Professional courtesy that does not interfere with the safety and concern for the PEOPLE THAT PAY THE SALARIES!
At my company, if an employee has an issue, such as a sick family member, one just calls our company and explains the issue. IF the issue is a true emergency, the company will do whatever they can to get the family home as soon as possible. But...they will also ask for a physician's assessment...and rightly so.
My airline would not delay a flight in that situation. Every word of that union statement is typical ALPA, and that’s a reason why many non-pilot employees despise pilots. Entitled is 1 word that comes to mind. Imagine if an employee called a gate agent and asked them to hold a flight…..
You’re joking, right? “Professional courtesy”? It’s an airline, not a country club or fraternity.
It’s typical ALPA, the arrogance knows no limits.
A common retort when a person asks if I’m/ we’re a pilot,”No , I work for a living”.
Is there any bad behaviour that a pilot union won’t defend? Both these clowns should be disciplined. They won’t be, though - Malta ranks sixty-fifth of the 180 countries on the Transparency dot org corruption list, with the situation steadily deteriorating. Unions, government, big employers, they’re all in it together. That’s how you finish-up with banana republic stunts like this one, inconveniencing an entire airplane full of people so one member of your crooked cadre can sleep in a little.
If the flight is delayed due to politician or a minister or v I p or celebrity will the
Management make hue and cry and
Complaint they will shut their mouth
This is nothing serious
AirIndia sfo
"waiting for this passenger on medical grounds, having evaluated that there would be no operational consequences to the delay and after consulting with KMMA Operations Control"
If either pilot lied like this in a statement to the airline, the pilot should face much tougher consequences.